China will implement a unilateral visa free entry policy towards Malaysia from December 1, 2023. The Malaysian side also announced the implementation of visa free facilitation measures for Chinese citizens starting from the same day. Five months have passed, and professionals and tourists in the tourism and aviation industries of China and Malaysia have expressed that the visa free measures between the two countries will further strengthen personnel exchanges and enhance mutual understanding. The Director of Malaysia's Tourism Promotion Authority, Manohalan, told Xinhua News Agency that the visa free policy had a noticeable effect in the first month of implementation. In that month, the number of tourists from China reached 168000, an increase of 35.1% from November 2023. Manohalan noticed that compared to before the pandemic, more and more Chinese tourists are choosing the "free travel" method. In 2023, the proportion of "team tours" has decreased compared to before the epidemic. "Most travelers are now accustomed to arranging their own itinerary through online travel platforms. 'Free spirited' travelers can also rent their own cars without the need for tour guides, enjoying more freedom and flexibility. To welcome Chinese tourists, Malaysia has taken a series of measures in terms of tourist entry, tourism promotion, and so on.". For example, Malaysia's airport has set up a service desk and hired service personnel who can speak Chinese to provide assistance to Chinese tourists. "We want to provide tourists with a pleasant and smooth experience," Manohalan said. According to Manohalan, given the important role social media plays in tourism promotion, Malaysia has received some Chinese "internet celebrities" to allow them to experience Malaysia's uniqueness firsthand. Through social media promotion, it is faster and simpler to reach audiences directly, which is more convenient than traditional methods. In addition, Malaysia has partnered with Chinese airlines to provide convenience for them when landing at Kuala Lumpur airport. Manohalan stated that the visa free policy has also promoted the opening of new air routes, and Chinese cities such as Kunming and Chengdu have also opened or added flights to Malaysia. Gao Yashuang, General Manager of Xiamen Airlines Kuala Lumpur Office, said that due to the visa free policy, the proportion of Malaysian passengers traveling to China has increased. During the 2024 Spring Festival travel season, Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia and Malaysians visiting their families in China, as well as Xiamen Airlines operating flights between China and Malaysia, both have a passenger load factor of over 90%. "The visa free policy has had a profound impact on personnel interaction between China and Malaysia. On flights, we saw many families returning to their hometowns to visit and search for relatives, and experienced the deep friendship of Malaysian Chinese towards China, their longing for their hometown, and their desire to trace their roots and inherit their hometown culture." Gao Yashuang said. Gao Yashuang stated that Xiamen Airlines will further explore the possibility of resuming or opening more routes, providing more choices and convenience for economic, cultural, and tourism exchanges between China and Malaysia. Mr. Bi, a local tour guide in Malaysia, told reporters that since the implementation of visa facilitation policies, the number of Chinese tourists has significantly increased. This not only benefits the development of the local tourism industry, but also drives the development of industries such as catering and aviation. Chinese tourist Qin Mengyao said that due to the visa free policy, she has decided to visit Malaysia and experience the rich and diverse culture there. As a quyi artist, she hopes to bring Chinese opera and intangible cultural heritage to Malaysia in the future, so that Malaysian friends can experience it
Edit：hechuanning Responsible editor：susuiyue
Source：xinhua
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