Expatriates from the UAE and other Middle East countries need no visa to travel to Malaysia, and transit passengers may be granted transit visas for 1
Expatriates from the UAE and other Middle East countries need no visa to travel to Malaysia, and transit passengers may be granted transit visas for 120 hours or five days free of charge, Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Director-General of Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, has said.
Global tourism groups have ranked Malaysia as the number one destination for travellers from the Middle East and GCC with Emiratis coming in second to Saudi Arabians in the top three Arab nationals regularly visiting Malaysia.
Taiyab revealed this in an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times yesterday at the opening of the four-day Arabian Travel Market 2008 (ATM) at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Taiyab said that Malaysia is participating in this ATM to target some 400,000 more Arab tourists this year to further boost the quarter million tourists going to Malaysia from Arab countries.
Taiyab said Malaysia is vigorously campaigning for more tourists from the UAE and Saudi Arabia because of all the Arab tourists. Saudis top the list with 78,000 followed by Emiratis with 38,000.
He said that Iranians come close with 37,000, followed by Omanis 19,000; Kuwaitis 17,000; Syrians, Libyans and Jordanians come next with 12,000 each; and, Qatar, 11,000.
“We are also targeting the expatriates from this region who may choose Malaysia as their destination for holidays,” he said.
He said that expatriates, with valid work permits in this region, have no knowledge that they can come to Malaysia without visa, which they can get upon arrival at the Malaysia airport with only RM100 ($33.33).
Malaysia is welcoming transit passengers from the UAE, particularly Filipinos, because they spend a lot and most of them are on transit there, on their way back home to the Philippines.
Taiyab said that for the last eight years, while tourists have kept coming to Malaysia, the government has come up with packaged promotions to bring in more tourists.
This tourism campaign has paid off and in the first quarter of this year alone, Malaysia has registered a total of 47,000 tourists from the Middle East and GCC, of whom 10,000 are Emiratis.
“Earlier, we were targeting holiday travellers, but now, we are the favourite destination of the honeymooners too,” he said.
Taiyab said that among the major reasons why tourists make Malaysia as their preferred holiday destination is, first, Malaysia can offer something different, with its lush vegetation and green scenery.
Second, he said, the tourists can shop at reasonable prices, and third, they can enjoy their stay with cultural dances performed in hotels and restaurants.
Fourth, Malaysia is very much liberal and, fifth, hotels are too cheap, Taiyab added. /Khaleej Times/
Global tourism groups have ranked Malaysia as the number one destination for travellers from the Middle East and GCC with Emiratis coming in second to Saudi Arabians in the top three Arab nationals regularly visiting Malaysia.
Taiyab revealed this in an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times yesterday at the opening of the four-day Arabian Travel Market 2008 (ATM) at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Taiyab said that Malaysia is participating in this ATM to target some 400,000 more Arab tourists this year to further boost the quarter million tourists going to Malaysia from Arab countries.
Taiyab said Malaysia is vigorously campaigning for more tourists from the UAE and Saudi Arabia because of all the Arab tourists. Saudis top the list with 78,000 followed by Emiratis with 38,000.
He said that Iranians come close with 37,000, followed by Omanis 19,000; Kuwaitis 17,000; Syrians, Libyans and Jordanians come next with 12,000 each; and, Qatar, 11,000.
“We are also targeting the expatriates from this region who may choose Malaysia as their destination for holidays,” he said.
He said that expatriates, with valid work permits in this region, have no knowledge that they can come to Malaysia without visa, which they can get upon arrival at the Malaysia airport with only RM100 ($33.33).
Malaysia is welcoming transit passengers from the UAE, particularly Filipinos, because they spend a lot and most of them are on transit there, on their way back home to the Philippines.
Taiyab said that for the last eight years, while tourists have kept coming to Malaysia, the government has come up with packaged promotions to bring in more tourists.
This tourism campaign has paid off and in the first quarter of this year alone, Malaysia has registered a total of 47,000 tourists from the Middle East and GCC, of whom 10,000 are Emiratis.
“Earlier, we were targeting holiday travellers, but now, we are the favourite destination of the honeymooners too,” he said.
Taiyab said that among the major reasons why tourists make Malaysia as their preferred holiday destination is, first, Malaysia can offer something different, with its lush vegetation and green scenery.
Second, he said, the tourists can shop at reasonable prices, and third, they can enjoy their stay with cultural dances performed in hotels and restaurants.
Fourth, Malaysia is very much liberal and, fifth, hotels are too cheap, Taiyab added. /Khaleej Times/
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