Malaysian Tourism Minister Adnan Tengku Mansor said the move was to ensure that all travelers, including inbound foreigners and outbound locals, are protected and covered by insurance.
The measure, which took effect from July 1, advisably required travelers to take it up, but they also had the flexibility to refuse it, Adnan said.
Under the plan, travelers can expect a refund in such cases as that the participating travel and tour company is unable to render its services, due to abrupt business closure, Adnan said.
Local media reported that the plan was endorsed by the ministry to ensure travelers to get the basic coverage and protection against travel risks.
It is managed via a joint venture between Timeless Vocation SdnBhd and Pempena Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Tourism Ministry, with Tahan Insurance Malaysia Bhd as the underwriter.
Local or outbound travelers will need to pay 15 ringgit (4.3 U.S. dollars premium for coverage while inbound travelers are required to pay 15 U.S. dollars for which coverage is for the whole period of travel.
The 2,000 square-km national park covers 17 percent of Diqing, an autonomous prefecture mainly inhabited by Tibetans. Its centerpiece sceneries are crystal-clear lakes, undulating mountains and gurgling streams.
The local government started mapping out the park since early last year and has spent more than 200 million yuan (26.3 million U.S. dollars) on bolstering ecological tourism in the well-preserved national park.
"By establishing the Potatso national park, China has taken the first step in blending tourism development with nature protection," said Song Yinxiu, head of the park's administrative bureau.
Now about 69 km of blacktop roads have been built in two major scenic spots, the Shudu Lake and Bita Lake, in Potatso. The roads also serve as fire separation stripes.
Plank roads stretch 10 km along the mirror-like lakes to protect the grasslands.
Seven solar-energy powered public toilets and shuttle buses consuming clean energy are also used in the park to minimize pollution.
During the past ten months of trial operational, the national park received 600,000 visitors. More than half of the revenue from ticket sales went to environment protection.
The world's first national park, Yellow Stone National Park, was established in the United States in 1872. Now there are more than 9,800 national parks around the world.