Back-to-back events on luxury, cruise tourism to debut in KL

www.mptf.com.my

Kuala Lumpur will host the inaugural Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 and Global Cruise Tourism Conference 2014 this August.

Organised by WiTMevents, both events are endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia and Tourism Malaysia. They will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, with the Global Cruise Tourism Conference slated to run from August 7 to 8, followed by the Malaysia Premium Travel Fair from August 8 to 10.

Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 and a Global Cruise Tourism Conference 2014 are set to become annual events in Malaysia.

Mohd Khalid Harun, organising chairman and on WiTMevents’ board of directors, said: “There is a great demand for premium packages and products as well as cruise and river tourism. Premium travel and cruise tourism are two niche, high-ROI sectors that we believe will be the leading market earners for the travel and tourism industry in the near future and as such it is the right time now to venture into premium tourism and cruise tourism.”

Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 is the first travel fair in Malaysia targeted at the luxury segment, and will feature B2B and B2C components. Fair exhibitors are both local and international players, and include premium and boutique airlines, cruise liners and yacht clubs, helicopter tour service providers, luxury hotels and resorts, NTOs and MICE event organisers, among others.

Khalid is targeting 220 booths and between 500 to 1,000 trade buyers. Booth sales will start today.

Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 and a Global Cruise Tourism Conference 2014 will be held a month prior to the MATTA consumer travel fair in Kuala Lumpur, to run from September 5-7.

MATTA president, Hamzah Rahmat, does not believe the new challenger will affect exhibitor interest and booth take-up for the MATTA Fair. He said:  “MATTA Fair in Kuala Lumpur is almost 30 years old. On average we get about 30,000 visitors per day. For exhibitors, where do you think their ROI will be?”

Khalid, who is also immediate past president of MATTA, highlighted the differences between the events, saying Malaysia Premium Travel Fair 2014 and Global Cruise Tourism Conference 2014 will benefit luxury travel players while MATTA Fair is organised for members to promote and sell their products and services to the public.

-TTG Asia.