Hanoi (VNA)🌳 – The RoyalMalaysian Customs Department said the country will begin charging tourism taxfrom August 1.
The tax will be collected based on length and placestourists will stay and will be applied to all visitors regardless of theirnationality or travel purpose. The rate ranges from 2.5RM for an unrated room to 20RMfor a five-star hotel room per night. Accommodation such as homestays and Kampung Stays (aMalaysian village), premises with fewer than ten rooms or ones maintained byreligious institutions for non-commercial purpose are exempt from the tax. Registration of the operators of these premises willstart in July. Revenue from tourism will be used to develop thecountry’s tourism sector, including improving tourism infrastructure, transportand promoting events. The tourism tax will be collected together with Goods andServices Tax and service fee. According to Malaysian Tourism and Culture MinisterMohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, the new tourist tax will raise up to 654 million RM(153.2 million USD) if the occupancy rate hits 60 percent for the 11 million"room nights" available in the country.-VNA
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Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers (Photo: AFP) 
