Malaysia aims to waive visa fee for Chinese  

大马旅游部拟免中国游客签证费 或明年1月落实

(ECNS) – Malaysian tourist official said the country plans to waive visa fees for Chinese travellers from January next year, Malaysia-based China Press reported.

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the country is eager to attract more Chinese tourists with easier visa policies, as many Southeast Asian countries have been offering similar schemes. Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines have all waived visa requirements for Chinese tourists.

Tours to Malaysia took a hit following the MH370 plane crash on March 8, in which 239 passengers - 153 of which were Chinese nationals – went missing. Incidents of kidnapping have also scared away quite a few Chinese visitors.

Nazri said the move would help achieve the country's target of attracting 29.4 million tourists in 2015. An estimated 28 million have visited Malaysia in 2014 to date.