# Malaysia Expands Consular Services in India to Boost Tourism



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Malaysia entices Indian holiday-makers with easier visas *

NEW DELHI, June 7, 2006 (AFP) - Malaysia on Wednesday announced plans to expand its consular services in India in a bid to draw more holiday-makers from the crowded subcontinent. 

Some 250,000 Indians visited Malaysia last year while India received 350,000 tourists from that country in the same period and visiting Malayasian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said Kuala Lumpur was keen to expand the sector. 

"Malaysia will be offering multi-entry visas and the cabinet has decided to establish a visa office in Mumbai and assist in family-related travel," Razak told captains of the Indian industry at the start of a six-day visit to India. 

His government, he added, was determined to turn the country into a favourite holiday spot for cash-flush Indian tourists. 

"We are committed to make procedures easier and we will open more visa offices in India and take the ultimate step of the e-visa one day and perhaps in the future we could do away with visas between the two countries," Razak said. 

He also urged Bollywood, India's prolific Hindi-language movie industry which produces 250 films annually, to use Malaysian locations, saying it would also bolster two-way tourism. 

"Bollywood has made Malaysian landmarks famous and we will try and help out filmmakers from India," he said, adding the industry helped enhance people-to-people contacts. 

"If you can't beat the film industry then join them," said Razak ahead of his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi later Wednesday.


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