Malaysia’s decision to waive visa fees for Chinese tourists has come under fire from tour operators say the plan to entice mainland visitors doesn’t go far enough.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Hamzah Rahmat said the elimination of the fee for Chinese travellers starting in February would actually push mainlanders to visit other Southeast Asian countries that don't require visas at all, The Star Online reported on Monday.
He cited Indonesia, which will scrap visa requirements for China and 29 other countries starting April to bolster the tourism sector.
Malaysia charges 80 yuan (420 baht) for a visa plus 120 yuan for processing.
"But free visa means Chinese tourists must go through the hassle of applying for a visa to come here," Mr Hamzah said.
"Why are we forcing these potential tourists to go and spend their money first in another country before you allow them to come to Malaysia?" he added.
Outbound operators in China have said they still have to pay the processing fee.
The Malaysian government decided not to opt for a visa-free scheme for tourists from China due to security concerns, according to the association president, who argued that not all of them posed problems to the country.
Malaysia is trying to lure Chinese tourists back to the country after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. Most passengers on the flight were the Chinese visiting Malaysia.
Malaysia projects 2.3 million tourists from China to the country this year, but Mr Hamzah warned in another report on The Star Online on Sunday that the target could drop to only 1.76 million as a result of the ''half-hearted gesture".