RM3,000 FOR TOUR AGENCIES
Govt will consider allowing interstate travel in stages when many people are vaccinated
MORE than 5,000 tour agencies registered with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry will receive RM3,000 each in a one-off special assistance under Pemerkasa.
The payment is among a number of initiatives introduced by the government to revive the tourism sector and help players recover from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government had also agreed to provide a oneoff cash aid of RM600 to homestay operators registered with the ministry, benefiting more than 4,000 Malaysian Homestay Programme hosts or entrepreneurs.
“I believe that in due course, when many of us are vaccinated, the government will consider allowing interstate travel in stages, and establish green (travel) lanes to allow border travel involving air transport.
“At the moment, the government needs time to assess all the aspects (of the proposals) and weigh their risks before making a decision.”
The government, Muhyiddin said, had extended the 10 per cent electricity bill discount for another three months, until June 30.
This was to help businesses’ cashflow and reduce operating costs for hotel operators, theme parks, convention centres, shopping malls, local airline offices as well as travel and tourism agencies, he added.
“The total cost borne by the government for this extension is RM135 million.”
Other initiatives include easing the burden of players in the tourism sector and supporting them in the recovery process.
For this, the tourism tax and service tax extension will be extended for accommodation provided by hotel operators until Dec 31, with tax incentives for tour companies extended until the 2020 year of assessment.
The deferment of monthly income tax instalments from April 1 to Dec 31 is given to companies in tourism and selected industries, such as cinema exhibitors and spa operators.
The government, he said, would exempt the entertainment duty (for admission fees) for entertainment venues, such as theme parks, stage performances, sporting events and competitions, as well as cinemas in the Federal Territories.
The scope of special relief on individual income tax of up to RM1,000 would be expanded to
include expenses made for travel packages provided by travel agents registered with the ministry, he said.
He said under Pemerkasa, the government would extend the Human Resources Development Fund levy exemption to businesses affected under the tourism and retail sector until June.