Government to review tourism tax

Minister Mohamaddin Ketapi says the government will review the tax in the interest of ensuring tourist arrivals to the country.

The tourism tax, which came into effect last September, imposes a flat rate of RM10 per room per night on all foreign tourists. (Bernama pic)

PUTRAJAYA: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mohamaddin Ketapi today said the government would review the need for the tourism tax to ensure that it will not affect tourist arrivals to the country.

He said the flat rate of RM10 per room per night, levelled on foreign tourists, needed to be reviewed to determine whether it was reasonable.

“Yes (we will review), because we want to attract tourists. We need to find a method that can be accepted by them which will make it easier for them to visit Malaysia.

“If the tax is too high, people will not want to visit the country. If we impose a moderate tax or even an acceptable tax, more people will come,” he said at his first press conference as a minister here today.

Mohamaddin, who is also Silam MP, said the ministry would also organise a competition for the design of a new logo for the Visit Malaysia campaign.

He said he would seek Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s views on whether to retain Visit Malaysia 2020 or choose another year.

“That logo is for 2020 but if we change the year, we also need to change the logo. The existing logo is beautiful, but we may be able to get more beautiful logos (through the competition),” he said.

Mohamaddin was among the 13 ministers and 23 deputy ministers who took their oath of office before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negara yesterday. - FMT