KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said it is compulsory for every hotel in Malaysia to register with his ministry.
He said the rule will facilitate collection of the Tourism Tax, which comes into effect on Aug 1.
“The Tourism Tax is (applicable to) foreign tourists staying at hotels with more than five rooms,” Nazri told reporters after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Adelaide Festival Centre's OzAsia Festival and the Cultural Economy Development Unit (CEDU) Malaysia.
He said the Royal Customs Department has been tasked with collecting the tax; and that hotel operators must deal directly with the Department on the matter.
A flat rate of RM10 will be charged on foreign tourists per night, per room.
Malaysians are exempt from the tax.