GEORGE TOWN – The travel and tourism industry has programmes valued a total of RM1.6 billion in Budget 2022 in an effort to get players back on their feet as the country reopens its borders soon.
In tabling the national budget yesterday, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said of the RM1.6 billion allocation, RM600 million will be for a targeted wage subsidy programme that 26,000 companies and 330,000 employees stand to benefit from.
Another RM600 million, he added, will be allocated under the Penjana Tourism Financing and Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd Rehabilitation Scheme.
Meanwhile, 20,000 tourism operators will receive a special financial assistance of RM85 million for a period of three months while the medical tourism industry stands to get a RM20 million boost.
Medical travel players will see the allocation used to draft plans and strategies to attract treatment-seeking tourists from neighbouring countries to travel to Malaysia, among others.
He said the fund will come under the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council.
The minister added that certain income tax exemptions will be extended for:
- Arts and cultural activity organisers as well as international sports and recreational competitions until the 2025 assessment year
- Entertainment activities such as theme parks and cinemas in all federal territories and tourism tax to December 31, 2022
“States are encouraged to provide similar entertainment duty exemptions to support the sector’s recovery.”
The government also tabled a RM50 million allocation to upgrade heritage and historical infrastructure such as the Sultan Abdul Samad building in Kuala Lumpur and Lembah Bujang in Kedah.
He said an allocation of RM30 million will go to a number of registered homestay owners and 738 budget hotels are set to get matching grants for repair purposes.
He added that companies organising arts and culture programmes will get matching grants with an allocation of RM50 million.
Lastly, an RM60 million incentive fund is allocated for promotional activities and domestic tourism incentives. – The Vibes, October 30, 2021
