MATTA fair 2010 To Enhance Langkawi's Tourism Sector This Year

KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents Travel Fair 2010, or popularly known as the MATTA Travel Fair, is expected to boost Langkawi's tourism sector, this year. The Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) Tourism Manager, Megat Shahrul Azman Abas said three million tourists are expected to visit the historical island, this year. "This is an increase of approximately half a million from the 2.5 million tourist arrivals recorded last year."

Malaysians are still the major contributor to this figure and Thailand, Singapore and China, follow suit. The MATTA Fair 2010 is being held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) from Friday till Sunday. In order to further boost Langkawi's tourism, LADA has come up with the "1Passport Langkawi". This is a document similar to a passport, which offers six major attractions in Langkawi at a single price. The passport is being sold at LADA's booth at the MATTA Fair's Domestic Hall at RM40 for adults and RM25 for children. The 1Passport Langkawi will cover the Langkawi Cable Car, Langkawi Wildlife Park, Langkawi Mahsuri Town, the Langkawi Craft Complex, the Underwater World Langkawi and "Galeria Perdana", a historical museum on Langkawi.

"It was launched at the MATTA Fair in September last year and we managed to sell about 1000 of it." As this is the second attempt, we are expecting to sell more than 2000 passports," Underwater World Langkawi Sdn Bhd's Assistant Manager for Marketing and Communications, Haizolsam Mustaffa said. He added the passport has seen an increasing demand compared to the last fair and both the company and LADA are very confident of the sales target.