MATTA targets RM400mil sales turnover for upcoming fair

 

MATTA secretary general Nigel Wong (second from right) said this is double the sales secured during the MATTA Fair held in 2019 of RM210 million. STR/AMIRUDIN SAHIB.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) targets to hit RM400 million in sales turnover during the upcoming MATTA Fair.

MATTA secretary general Nigel Wong said this is double the sales secured during the MATTA Fair held in 2019 of RM210 million.

"We are comparing this year's target to the one that was held pre-Covid. Last year, the sales turnover was RM40 million.

"We are expecting the higher sales on the back of the anticipated recovery in the global travel and tourism sectors, driven mainly by China's revenge travel," he told reporters during the MATTA Fair briefing here today.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the industry was expected to achieve an annual growth rate of 5.8 per cent between 2022 and 2032.

This was on the back of the expansion of 2.7 per cent of the global gross domestic product (GDP).

Meanwhile, organising chairman Rocky Kho said MATTA expects some 250,000 visitors during the fair, from 101,789 visitors in Sept 2019 to 43,996 visitors in Sept 2022.

"This event will not only be larger than previous years, but it will also feature more exciting destinations.

"For example, Saudi Arabia is the up-and-coming player in this game. It is now one of our featured destinations to visit," he said.

The MATTA Fair will be held from March 17 until March 19 at a new venue - the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).

MATTA sponsors and partners include Tourism Philippines, Tourism Perak, Taiwan Tourism, Malaysia Aviation Group, Royal Caribbean International, and AmLeisure Media.

MATTA is the largest national travel Association in Malaysia, with more than 2,500 members and growing, comprising local tour and travel agents and overseas affiliations.

-nst online.