KUALA LUMPUR 14 March 2025: Tourism Malaysia marked a significant milestone last week by hosting its first-ever consumer event in Guangzhou, China, since the pandemic, showcasing the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) Promotion Campaign. 

This initiative was part of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s ambitious goal to attract 7 million visitors from China in 2026, one of Malaysia’s key markets driving tourism growth.

Samuel Lee, Tourism Malaysia’s Deputy Director General (Promotion II), Suraya Ahmad Pauzi, the Consulate General Malaysia in Guangzhou, and Dato Dr Angie Ng, the President of MICA, presided over the event’s opening on 8 March at the popular TeeMall (Tianhe City Shopping Centre) in Guangzhou. 

The collaboration with the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA) aims to connect directly with Chinese consumers. TeeMall’s high footfall traffic provided an ideal platform for Tourism Malaysia to engage with the local market and strengthen Malaysia’s visibility as a top travel choice. 

The promotion featured diverse Malaysian tourism products, such as labu saying pottery and batik paintings. It highlighted the country’s vibrant culture and attractions while offering exclusive tourism packages for Chinese visitors.

Key objectives included maintaining the momentum leading up to VM2026, positioning Malaysia as a safe and attractive travel destination for the Chinese market, and reinforcing strong relationships with industry players in Guangzhou and beyond.

In 2024, Malaysia welcomed 3,725,894 visitors from China, marking an impressive 130.9% year-on-year growth. The extension of the visa-free policy for Chinese nationals until December 2026, coupled with increased air connectivity of 515 flights weekly, should accelerate two-way travel between Malaysia and China while strengthening cultural ties.

KUALA LUMPUR, 14 March 2025: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) designates Kedah as “Malaysia’s Favourite Destination” at the upcoming MATTA Fair, taking place from 18 to 20 April 2025, at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur.

Kedah is famed for the emerald-green paddy fields of Kampung Sungai Pau, the breathtaking peaks of Gunung Jerai, and the holiday island of Langkawi. These attractions and many more will be in the spotlight at the 56th edition of the MATTA Fair.

With an expected footfall of over 210,000 visitors, the MATTA Fair in April 2025 provides a highly powerful promotional platform for Kedah to highlight its distinctive products and attract both domestic and international travellers. 

Whether visitors plan a nostalgic ‘balik kampung’ trip or explore Kedah during the holidays, they can look forward to amazing travel deals at this MATTA Fair in April 2025. 

“MATTA Fair continues to grow as Malaysia’s Largest International Travel Fair, providing great opportunities for the industry and our MATTA members,” said MATTA president Nigel Wong.

It is crucial to highlight destinations like Kedah, which hold immense tourism potential. Recognising Kedah as our Favourite Destination reflects MATTA’s commitment to supporting our Kedah members and other tourism industry stakeholders and ensuring that both industry players and visitors benefit from meaningful connection and experiences at MATTA Fair April 2025.” 

“This recognition honours the state of Kedah’s tourism endeavours as we dive into the “Visit Kedah 2025” campaign. We have successfully scheduled 170 events throughout the year, including 45 major events across the state, through its theme “Experience Kedah”, Wong explained. 

MATTA efforts are showing positive results, with Kedah recording a steady increase in tourist arrivals. Langkawi alone welcomed 300,000 visitors in January 2025, compared to 250,000 in the same period last year. 

Hotel bookings have also improved significantly, with occupancy rates at MAH-registered hotels in Langkawi rising from 58.1% in January 2024 to 68.3% in January this year,” said Dato’ Haji Mohd Salleh Saidin, Chairman of Kedah State Tourism Culture and Entrepreneurship.

Additionally, MATTA is excited to announce its new outbound business-to-business (B2B) event, MATTA Connect. This event provides sellers from many countries a good opportunity to connect with local buyers/travel agents to explore new international destinations and establish new business partnerships. MATTA Connect will convene on 17 April 2025 at MITEC, the day before the MATTA Fair opens.

To ensure a smooth visitor experience, MATTA Fair offers free admission and is open from 1000  to 2100 from Friday to Sunday. 

For latest updates, visit MATTA Fair website and socials — Facebook, X and Tik Tok, or subscribe to MATTA’s new Instagram page @mattafair.official and Telegram channel @MATTA_Fair.