KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — Malaysia welcomes Chinese investment in the local tourism industry and encourages more Chinese operators to participate in tourism development, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said.
“However, we hope all investment and business activities will be conducted through legal and compliant channels, and we encourage Chinese operators to cooperate with legitimate local partners to jointly build a healthier and more sustainable tourism ecosystem,” he said via facebook post.
Tiong said the matter was raised during a bilateral meeting with World Tourism Alliance (WTA) Chair Zhang Xu, held on the sidelines of the ASEAN-China Tourism Dialogue and the Malaysia-China Tourism Dialogue in Langkawi.
He said Malaysia’s recent efforts to step up law enforcement in the tourism market were not targeted at any specific country or visitor, but were intended to safeguard the safety and travel experiences of all tourists.
Illegal operations such as unapproved tour packages, illegal transportation, and unlicensed tourist facilities pose serious safety risks and disrupt business operations, necessity tighter enforcement to ensure compliance with safety standards, Tiong said.
During the meeting, both leaders exchanged views on Malaysia-China tourism cooperation, regional tourism development across ASEAN, tourism safety, and industry standards, pledging to deepen ties for a safer and more competitive regional tourism environment.
