The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair in Penang this weekend will be the largest ever held in the state, offering a wide variety of travel choices.
The fair on 25 and 26 April will feature 350 booths at the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC), offering a range of domestic and international travel packages.
Penang MATTA chapter chairman Carolyn Leong said a highlight would be a Buyers’ Contest with prizes worth up to RM100,000.
“Visitors will be eligible to join and win with a minimum spend of RM100.
Top prizes include business class return tickets from Penang to Paris, Brisbane and Tokyo sponsored by Malaysia Airlines, flights to destinations such as Chengdu, Incheon, the Maldives and Hanoi, as well as to any destination served by Firefly.
There are also flight tickets to Qingdao sponsored by Qingdao Airlines, to Taipei by China Airlines, and economy class tickets by Flydubai, hotel stays and dining vouchers from Lone Pine, Marriott, Angsana and G Hotel,” she told a press conference.
Leong said the fair was targeting about 50,000 visitors, up from 45,000 last year.
“This is set to be one of our biggest fairs to date, and it continues to play a crucial role in stimulating travel demand by encouraging people to explore and reconnect with destinations both locally and abroad,” she said.
Amid geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts in parts of the world, travellers were expected to prefer safer destinations, with operators working to secure competitive prices.
Stronger demand was expected for South-East Asia and North Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand, with between 45% and 55% of promotional packages focusing on the domestic market.
“Despite the positive outlook, rising costs remain a key challenge for tour operators, mainly for outbound travel due to higher airline fuel charges.
Those who buy packages through official airlines during the fair will have their prices secured with no increase.
For some airlines especially on Asian routes, fares have increased by about RM200 per passenger, while long-haul routes have seen increases of up to RM1,000 each,” she said.
Tourism Malaysia northern region director Abdul Hadi Che Man said domestic tourism was expected to see increased demand.
Penang tourism committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said MATTA Fair provides a good platform for travellers to secure value-for-money deals through reputable airlines and tour agencies.
The fair will be open from 10am to 9pm. Admission is free.
Source: The Star
