langkawi magazine
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Malaysia Budget Gives and Takes
TO boost health tourism in Malaysia, prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi announced in his Budget 2005 speech, immigration rules for foreign medical specialists, therapists and patients would be relaxed.
The sector brought in RM58.3 million (US$15 million) in revenue last year from 103,000 foreigners via health tourism packages. But next year's budget will also include an increase in the excise duty on liquor to between 10 sen and RM28 a litre.
MSL Travel tours manager, Ms Katherine Chan, said: Of course, the hike will affect tourism. The culture of having pre-dinner drinks before a function is going to be expensive when compared to countries such as Thailand and Hong Kong.
Holiday Tours & Travel general manager, Mr Danny Jee, however, felt there was no impact on the people, tourists included, with the increase of the luxury taxes, where the excise duty on cigarettes had also been increased from RM58 to RM81 per 1,000 sticks.
Tourists can get a carton of cigarettes duty free. It does not make a difference especially from the higher spending countries as Malaysia is still a relatively cheap destination. What is a RM2 increase for a glass of whisky for the UK traveller?
Kuala Lumpur 14/09/2004
