Malaysians, You Don't Have To Pay Tourism Tax When Sharing A Hotel Room With A Foreigner
This applies to Malaysians who pay for the accommodation.
By Tamara Jayne — 04 Jan 2024, 05:26 PM
Malaysians, here's a reminder: If you travel with a foreigner in the country and cover the expenses for the stay, you are exempt from tourism tax (MyTTx)
The tourism tax, which came into effect in September 2017, charges a flat rate of RM10 per room per night for foreigners staying in hotels of all classes.
If you're a Malaysian travelling with a foreigner within Malaysia and paying for the room, you will not be charged. However, if the foreigner pays for the accommodation, they will incur the tax.
Recently, a Malaysian woman travelling with her foreign fiancé shared on social media that she was charged the RM10 tourism tax, even though she personally covered the hotel expenses
Tammy Lim shared that she and her fiancé were charged the RM10 tax during their stay at a popular hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
According to her, the hotel insisted that she had to pay, stating that "the law has always been the same, and this is the practice for many years at [said hotel]."
Nevertheless, she went ahead and paid the tourism tax.
However, when Lim later double-checked with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, she was informed that she did not, in fact, need to pay the tax.
According to the Tourism Tax (Exemption) Order 2017, the following tourists are exempt from MyTTx when staying at any accommodation in Malaysia:
a) A tourist who is a Malaysian national; and
b) A tourist who is a permanent resident of Malaysia (holds a MyPR card)
Below is a screenshot of the tax exemption based on the Malaysian Tourism Tax Guide provided by the Customs Department:
Under the same guideline, it is specified that if a Malaysian and a foreigner check into the same room, and the Malaysian registers and pays for the stay, both individuals are exempt from the tourism tax, provided it is not a twin-sharing arrangement.
Lim added that she was not part of any twin-sharing arrangement.
TL;DR, Malaysians travelling with a foreigner and covering the expenses for the stay are exempt from the tourism tax.
However, if the foreigner is paying, an additional RM10 tourism tax will be charged.
To read the full guide on tourism tax in Malaysia, click here.
