SHOWCASING MALAYSIA: Malaysian Minister of Tourism Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (left), at a press conference in Chennai on Wednesday. — Photo: Shaju John

CHENNAI: As part of efforts to woo over 3,00,000 Indian visitors to Malaysia during 2007, which has been declared Visit Malaysia Year, the Malaysian Government has decided to provide visa on arrival for Indian tourists.

"Indians can make best use of this facility provided at six different points of entry in Malaysia. The 30-day validity visa will cost around Rs. 1,300," said Malaysian Minister of Tourism Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. He was addressing a news conference in Chennai as part of a road show unveiled by Tourism Malaysia. "We are keen on opening more points to lure foreign visitors, including Indians," the Minister said, listing out the initiatives to showcase latest tourist attractions.

"In order to keep pace with the interest generated in Malaysia by Indians, it is imperative to establish a relaxed visa procedure to spur intra-regional travel and bolster tourism initiatives." Road shows had been held in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai. Indians figured in the top 10 global tourist spenders' lists with 2,25,789 tourist arrivals from India during 2005. Pointing out that 2007 was declared Visit Malaysia Year to coincide with the golden jubilee of Malaysia's Independence, the Minister said India's liberalised policy in the civil aviation sector had further strengthened the bilateral relationship and contributed to the growth in the trade relations between India and the ASEAN region.

Mr. Mansor noted that Malaysia had proposed a special `ASEAN-India Tourism Summit" to be held in Kuala Lumpur during the first half of 2007.

The Tourism Ministry, Mr. Mansor said, would soon launch a campaign in India to encourage Indian private investments in Malaysian real estate and property.

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