Budget 2017: Malaysia To Extend eVisa To Balkans, South Asia Region

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- The government's initiative to extend the eVisa to countries in the Balkans and South Asia region will boost the number of foreign tourist arrivals in the country, said Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) president Uzaidi Udanis. He said the government had taken a similar step by extending the eVisa to China and India, and the result was highly positive. "eVisa proves to be successful and effective when the government opens the opportunity to China and India, the number of tourists from the two countries coming to Malaysia increased," he told Bernama. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, when tabling the 2017 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) Friday announced that the government would extend the eVisa to the Balkans region and South Asia to achieve the target of 32 million tourist arrivals next year. Najib also announced that US$95.57 million (RM400 million) would be channelled to the tourism sector to focus on the promotion and improvement of tourism facilities. (US$1 = RM4.18) "Certainly it will be more successful in increasing an influx of tourists, thus providing income to the country and opening up more job opportunities for Malaysians in the tourism sector," said Uzaidi. -- BERNAMA