LABUAN, June 24 — The federal government has approved the implementation of Visa on Arrival (VOA) in Labuan and it is expected to be officially launched next month, said Labuan Member of Parliament Datuk Rozman Isli.

He said the VOA, similar to that proposed for Langkawi, is awaiting to be gazetted by the Home Ministry and would be fully implemented by the Immigration Department.

This reflected the government’s seriousness in boosting tourist arrivals on the island, he said at a meet-the-client day of the Labuan Sports and Youth Department here today.

He said the move would help increase tourist arrivals from mainland Sabah via Labuan Airport and from Brunei via the Labuan ferry terminal.

"Labuan must be prepared to receive the increase in tourist arrivals that would in turn boost Labuan’s economy,” he said.

Rozman said the approval of VOA would eventually pave the way for more airlines to fly into Labuan. — Bernama