SINGAPORE, 31 January 2023: SITA is innovating with cutting-edge technology to strengthen its airline, airport, and border solutions in partnership with travel identity company Zamna Technologies.
Zamna’s solution uses a decentralised blockchain-based model to transform how passenger data, such as passport, visa, and health information, is verified and handled, bringing security, ease, and efficiency benefits for travellers, airlines, airports and governments.
Jeremy Springall, Senior VP at SITA Borders, Abdul Wahab Teffaha, Secretary General of AACO, Irra Ariella Khi, CEO, Zamna Technologies.
SITA and Zamna finalised the partnership deal during an Arab Airlines Carriers’ Organisation (ACCO) meeting in Jordan last week. The first deployment will be focused on AACO’s more than 30 airline members.
Instead of passengers presenting travel documents repeatedly to every touch point each time they fly, Zamna’s ability to verify and securely persist such data will provide SITA customers with ongoing automation enhancements. It supports SITA’s vision of a completely digital travel experience.
Airlines and airports will benefit from a tested and verified technology for reduced processing times and less infrastructure needed to process passengers.
At the same time, border agencies will experience fewer exception cases and fewer passengers requiring on-site processing as the border checks are completed pre-departure. Across the journey, the passenger will enjoy peace of mind that the data is being handled even more securely and that they have satisfied all regulatory requirements to travel. The solution also enhances security for SITA’s clients, whose data is managed safely, privately, and in a decentralised manner.
This approach is a paradigm shift to fundamentally change data management within the aviation industry, elegantly ensuring that the individual traveller has minimal impact and that their documents are read and verified once and put to work many times. SITA’s scale and expert work with 1000+ airports and 70+ governments uniquely position the company to lead this industry-wide commitment to transformation.
SITA CEO David Lavorel said: “The partnership with Zamna Technologies powers the next step in the journey to SITA’s vision of enabling a truly connected and digital travel experience along with all the benefits. It will deliver efficiency, improved passenger experience, and increased security.”
BANGKOK, 31 January 2023: AirAsia expands its domestic network this week to include a service from Don Mueang to Mae Sot on the western border of Thailand facing Myanmar.
The low-cost airline offers three weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Bookings opened on 28 January for travel from 1 March 2023.
The Don Mueang-Mae Sot one-way promotional fare starts at THB 1,900 for bookings up until 25 March 2023 for travel from 1 to 25 March 2023 via the AirAsia Super app.
AirAsia Thailand chief executive officer Santisuk Klongchaiya explained: “AirAsia is expanding its domestic network to benefit the economy, tourism and trade… studying new destinations to make travel more convenient and to create new opportunities for provinces and regions.”
Mae Sot in Tak province is an important, rapidly growing trade town where a road bridge spans the river between Thailand and Myanmar.
The one-hour flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport will be served by a 180-seat A320 Airbus aircraft.
Flight Schedule for Bangkok Don Mueang – Mae Sot (Tak) commencing 1 March 2023.
YOGYAKARTA, 31 January 2023: Batik Air, a member of Lion Air Group, launches a new direct flight from Yogyakarta to Kuala Lumpur, starting 31 January 31, 2023.
Flight ID7187 departs Yogyakarta at 0700 and arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 1020. The return flight ID7186 departs Kuala Lumpur at 1105 and arrives in Yogyakarta at 1220. Flights operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The one-way fare on the Yogyakarta – Kuala Lumpur route during February starts at IDR 1,725,000 in economy class and IDR 7,425,000 in business class.
Flight Schedule
Route
Flight No
Schedule Time Departure
Schedule Time Arrival
Frequency
Yogyakarta Kulonprogo (YIA) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
ID-7187
07.00
10.20
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Yogyakarta Kulonprogo (YIA)
ID-7186
11.05
12.20
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Time difference:
• Yogyakarta: Western Indonesia Time (GMT+ 07)
• Kuala Lumpur: GMT+08
The Kuala Lumpur – Yogyakarta route will support the return of foreign tourists to Indonesia. Within days of the launch, the region’s top travel show, the ASEAN Tourism Forum, will be hosted in Yogyakarta from 2 to 5 February 2023. The official ceremony for the show will be hosted at the Prambanan Temple venue, introducing the theme “ASEAN: A Journey to Wonderful Destinations”.
Batik Air’s first direct international flight from YIA provides a new option for tourists from Malaysia in addition to the flights from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Batik Air deploy a Boeing 737-800NG aircraft (12 business class and 150 economy class seats) to the Yogyakarta – Kuala Lumpur route.
KUCHING, 30 January 2023: Travel is back in Southeast Asia, and more direct flights are connecting Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Sarawak for families planning a vacation.
The latest count names seven airlines flying direct services from capital cities in Southeast Asia to Kuching in Sarawak; AirAsia, Bek Air, Firefly, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines and Scoot.
Here are 10 things to do in Sarawak, starting with Kuching’s famous street food that will bolster energy levels to explore the state’s national parks, natural attractions and adventure options.
EAT LAKSA SARAWAK & KOLO MEE
The two favourite signature breakfast meals of Kuching are, without a doubt, Laksa Sarawak and Kolok Mee.
A visitor to Sarawak cannot leave without having a taste of these two iconic dishes.
Ranked the No. 1 Food in Asia by TasteAtlas and dubbed as ‘The Breakfast of the Gods’ by the late Anthony Bourdain, Sarawak Laksa consists of vermicelli rice noodles soaked in a spicy-sour shrimp-based broth made from over 30 different herbs and spices, thickened with coconut milk, topped with crunchy beansprouts, boiled prawns, shredded chicken, thin slices of omelette, a sprinkling of fresh coriander, served with spicy sambal made from pounded chillies and belacan (shrimp paste) and a freshly cut calamansi (golden lime).
Kolok Mee is a bowl of fresh noodles cooked perfectly al-dente, swirled vigorously in lard and vinegar until each strand is evenly coated, topped with slices of char siew (barbequed pork) and minced pork, dressed with chopped spring onions and sliced chillies. Kolok Mee can also be enriched with fishballs, wontons and vegetables such as choy sum. Halal versions of Kolok Mee can be found at Muslim outlets.
Sarawak Laksa
FEED THE ORANGUTANS AT SEMENGGOH
Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, located 20 kilometres south of Kuching, is a renowned sanctuary for the conservation of the orangutans in their natural habitat. For over 20 years, the wardens at Semenggoh Nature Reserve have been training young orangutans, who had been orphaned or rescued from captivity how to survive in the wild.
They spend most of their time roaming the forest but frequently come back to the Centre for a free meal. During feeding time, visitors will gain the golden opportunity to interact with the orangutans as they will swing down from trees for a free handout of fruits.
KAYAKING AT SEMADANG RIVER
Adrenaline junkies will love the wide variety of all-inclusive day-trip adventure tours along Semadang River, ranging from river kayaking, bamboo-rafting, caving and jungle trekking. The Semadang Kayaking experience includes all kayaking, rafting and caving activities. Also, after a massive workout from kayaking, visitor can further enrich their local culinary experience with some traditional, home-cooked food using locally-sourced ingredients by the river.
EAT GULA APONG ICE CREAM
Good news for dessert lovers – you will love Sarawak’s Gula Apong Ice-cream. Gula Apong is a type of palm sugar made from nipah palm, which grows abundantly in the coastal lowlands in Sarawak.
It has a subtly different, nuttier flavour compared to the gula melaka in West Malaysia.
Vanilla ice cream really tastes best when gula apong syrup is sprayed over it, or you can also enjoy gula apong flavoured ice cream.
EXPLORE MULU NATIONAL PARK
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, a trip to Mulu National Park is a must when you are in Sarawak. Located in Miri, Mulu is well known for its rich biodiversity and its karst features. The varied topography of Gunung Mulu National Park includes swampy lowland rainforests, towering limestone cliffs, and lofty sandstone mountains – these provide a great diversity of habitats and are one of the reasons behind the astounding biodiversity of this reserve.
Mulu’s most remarkable feature is the world’s finest karst collapse and the 50metre-tall razor-sharp limestone Pinnacles on the northern end of Gunung Api.
DEEP SEA DIVING AT MIRI-SIBUTI CORAL REEFS NATIONAL PARK
The Miri-Sibuti Coral Reefs National Park is a protected area, and the thriving marine life is a testament to this. There are over 40 dive sites throughout the park suitable for divers of all levels. Among the popular dive spots in the national park include Belais Reef, Anemone Garden and the exciting Barracuda Point, where a school of the large predator can be seen swirling in a never-ending circle.
TREKKING AT GUNUNG GADING NATIONAL PARK
To all hikers, nature, wildlife and jungle enthusiasts – are you looking for a challenging jungle trekking adventure in a tranquil, lush, natural and timeless environment? Then Gunung Gading National Park is the place to be. Gunung Gading is home to the rare Rafflesia, which is also known as the corpse flower because of the stench it gives off while it is blooming. There are a number of treks at the park, and not all of them will feature the Rafflesia, so be sure to tell your guide beforehand if you want to see it in all its glory, and he will take you where you will be able to spot it. Some jungle trails here will also lead you to scenic waterfalls and jungle streams. Have a refreshing swim in these ice-cool waters before you leave.
MORNING BIRDWATCHING AT KUBAH NATIONAL PARK
Kubah National Park is situated on a sandstone plateau, mostly covered by mixed dipterocarp forest, which is interspersed with patches of scrub and an unusually rich area of Kerangas forest, is the home of mammals, birds & many species of reptiles and amphibians. Upon arrival, bird watchers can aim to spot some endemic species like Blue-banded pitta, Bornean blue-flycatcher, Yellow-rumped flowerpecker, Bornean Black-magpie, Chestnut-crested yuhina, Dusky munia & etc.
EXPERIENCE THE SERENITY OF BARIO
Lying at an altitude of about 3,500 feet above sea level in the northeastern corner of Sarawak is the famous Bario Highlands, a Kelabit territory, one of the minority Orang Ulu tribes of Sarawak.
Bario means ‘Wind’ in Kelabit language. It is the gateway to the Kelabit highlands, with about thirteen villages located in & around Bario area, with Kampung Bario Asal being the first.
This is a must-visit longhouse where one can see the ancient timbers of the unique kitchen darkened by the constant smoke of generations of cooking fires.
Bario’s most enchanting attraction is its’ calmness, the serenity and the natural splendour
of its surroundings against a breathtakingly beautiful backdrop of paddy fields at the base of mist-covered hills standing tall as far as the eye.
VISIT SIBU’S TUA PEK KONG
The Eng Ann Tua Peng Kong was founded more than 100 years ago, making it the oldest and best-preserved Chinese Temple in Sibu. From the original wooden structure, it was rebuilt in 1897 with an adjacent 7-storey Goddes of Mercy (Kuan Yin) Pagoda, considered one of the most perfectly proportioned pagodas outside of Mainland China. Tourists not only visit the temple for religious purposes but also climb its steps to enjoy the magnificent sunset view overlooking the Rajang Rivers and the Sibu Waterfront.
DUBAI, UAE, 30 January 2023: The Emirates Group and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) have launched a training programme for the airline’s Emirati country managers.
The programme builds and hones the diplomatic skills of managers worldwide and forms part of the aviation group’s new Commercial Ambassador Leadership Programme.
A ceremony to celebrate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was held at the Emirates Group headquarters, attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum,
Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE, Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, and Member of the Board of Trustees at AGDA, along with senior executives and representatives of both organisations.
The MoU was signed by Amira Al Falasi, Emirates Group’s Vice president, Human Resources, Learning and Talent, and Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, AGDA’s Deputy Director General.
The AGDA’s five-day programme will provide Emirati country managers with a comprehensive understanding of the diplomatic skills needed to effectively represent the Emirates Group abroad and achieve their business and commercial objectives. The series of tailored and practical training courses will also serve as a platform for knowledge exchange to enrich Emirati managers’ capabilities in the aviation sector.
The innovative Commercial Ambassador Leadership Programme underlines Emirates Group’s steadfast commitment to its Emirati talent. It has been developed in collaboration between the Group’s in-house teams and several UAE organisations. It focuses on the development of UAE National Country Managers’ leadership skills and their effectiveness in four vital areas: International protocol and global trends; media skills; people engagement; and management diplomacy.
The programme supports Emiratis who have joined Emirates Group’s National Commercial Outstation Programme. This places ambitious and talented Emiratis in strategic roles across the Group’s global markets so that they gain broader exposure, expand their network connections, and become accomplished leaders. In these roles, they drive commercial objectives and enrich relationships with key local partners and regulators. They engage with communities, the public sector, and businesses to facilitate strategic ties that build trade, tourism, and commerce activities between the UAE and their local markets.
The Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) is a globally recognised diplomatic centre of excellence in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The Academy is a producer of leading resources, including indices and publications. Learn more at: http://agda.ac.ae/.
SINGAPORE, 30 January 2023: Oceania Cruises will deploy the rejuvenated Riviera for voyages in Asia during the 2023 to 2024 cruise season,
The 1,238-guest ship will, for the first time, visit Cochin, India; Yangon, Myanmar; Busan, South Korea; Phuket and Bangkok in Thailand, offering 25 voyages ranging from 10 to 82 days.
The decision to move Riviera to Asia for the 2023 to 2024 season follows the stem-to-stern rejuvenation of all staterooms, suites, public spaces, restaurants and bars.
The ship’s planned visit to Yangon in Myanmar could raise eyebrows as the country is heavily sanctioned after Myanmar’s military junta ousted the legitimately elected government in February 2021. Travel advisories issued by the US, Europe and Australia warn nationals against visiting the country.
Sample Voyages
The 14-day Empires of Asia voyage will sail from Tokyo, Japan, to Hong Kong, China, in October 2023. Itinerary highlights include overnight calls in Kyoto (Kobe), Japan; Shanghai and Hong Kong, China; plus visits to Taipei and Kaohsiung, Taiwan; and Japanese ports, including Kagoshima and Hiroshima.
The 72-day Epic Eastern Explorer itinerary, departing in early January 2024, will sail from Mumbai, India, to Tokyo, Japan. Overnight calls are scheduled for Male, Maldives; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Singapore, Singapore; Hanoi (Ha Long Bay), Vietnam; Shanghai, China; Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam; Seoul, South Korea; Kyoto (Kobe) and Tokyo, Japan. Two-night stays are scheduled in Yangon, Myanmar; Bangkok, Thailand; and Hong Kong, China. Other voyage highlights include Manila, Philippines; Hue and Nha Trang in Vietnam; Phuket, Thailand; and Penang and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
The 12-day Land of the Rising Sun roundtrip from Tokyo offers an exploration of Japan in March and April of 2024. Ports of call include Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Beppu, Hiroshima and an overnight stay in Kyoto (Kobe).
Headquartered in Miami, Oceania Cruises is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, which includes Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
SEPANG, 30 January 2023: AirAsia X Berhad (AirAsia X) released its latest operating statistics at the weekend, covering the sixth quarter of 2022 (6Q22) and the 18-month full financial year ending 31 December 2022.
In 6Q22, passengers carried stood at 337,638, demonstrating an over quadruple boost compared to the preceding quarter in which 79,557 passengers were carried between July – September 2022 as the travel recovery gained momentum in tandem with the peak travel season.
Seat capacity and Available Seats per Kilometre (ASK) capacity stood at 427,384 and 1,700 million, respectively, as more aircraft were returned to service with a dedicated focus on flying the most popular and profitable routes first as a priority post-pandemic.
During the period under review, the company posted a healthy Passenger Load Factor (PLF) of 79%, up by six percentage points from 73% in 5Q22. The PLF this quarter is already close to emulating the PLF recorded pre-pandemic between October – December 2019, which stood at 81%.
During the quarter under review, AirAsia X launched flights to Melbourne, Perth, Tokyo-Haneda, Sapporo, Taipei, Jeddah and Bali-Denpasar, on top of introducing an all-new Sydney-Auckland route. On the back of significant pent-up demand for great value medium haul travel since the inauguration and following the pandemic, additional frequencies have been incorporated into several top-tier routes, namely Seoul, Sydney, Sydney-Auckland, Melbourne, Perth and Sapporo, particularly between November – December 2022. As of the end of December 2022, AirAsia X served daily flights to key markets, including Seoul, Sydney, Sydney-Auckland, Melbourne and Bali-Denpasar.
On a full financial year basis, AirAsia X carried 417,195 passengers with a total of 536,491 seat capacity, while ASK capacity stood at 2,072 million. PLF during the year stood at 78%. By the end of December 2022, AirAsia X was operating flights to 13 destinations, including Seoul and Delhi, two of its most popular destinations that were launched in the prior quarter.
Associate AirAsia X Thailand carried 212,523 passengers in 6Q22 with a strong PLF of 92%, reflective of the business recovery trajectory within the country. Seat capacity and ASK capacity charted at 230,961 and 1,031 million, respectively, as more aircraft were returned to service during the quarter, with additional frequencies set in motion to select routes to cater to the year-end peak travel season. During the period under review, AirAsia X Thailand launched flights to Osaka and Sapporo in Japan and Sydney and Melbourne in Australia.
Between January and December 2022, AirAsia X Thailand carried a 279,707 passengers, and seat capacity was recorded at 318,132, while ASK capacity stood at 1,383 million. Overall, AirAsia X Thailand recorded a healthy PLF of 88% during this period as it began relaunching flights in June 2022, beginning with Seoul, followed by Tokyo Narita, followed by Osaka, Sapporo, Sydney and Melbourne.
The total fleet size for AirAsia X stood at 14 A330s as of the end of December 2022, with seven aircraft activated and operational, while AirAsia X Thailand’s total fleet size was eight A330s as at the end of December 2022, with five aircraft activated and operational.
(1) Number of earned seats flown. Earned seats comprise seats sold to passengers (including no-shows) and seats provided for promotional purposes. (2) Number of seats flown. (3) Passengers Carried / Capacity. (4) Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) measures an airline’s passenger capacity. Total seats flown multiplied by the number of kilometres flow.(5) Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) measures the volume of passengers carried by an airline. The number of passengers multiplied by the number of kilometres these passengers have flown. (6) Number of flights flown, *excluding charter and cargo flights.
SINGAPORE, 30 January 2023: Radisson Hotel Group will strengthen its foothold in Asia Pacific in 2023 after doubling the signings last year.
During 2022, the hospitality sector in the Asia Pacific region reported USD8.4 billion in hotel transactions from Q1 to Q3 [1]. The tourism industry has signalled a better-than-expected recovery, with visitor numbers surpassing forecasts with international tourism arrivals poised to rise by 30% in 2023 [2] compared to 2022. The World Travel & Tourism Council also predicted that travel revenue would contribute to overall economic growth by 71%. [3]
“The APAC region is poised for domestic and international tourism recovery and primed for hospitality development in 2023. With our strategic plans for the region in full swing, Radisson Hotel Group is ready to capture the rebound of travel and realise significant regional growth over the next year,” commented Radisson’s chief development officer, Asia Pacific Ramzy Fenianos.
2022 KEY HIGHLIGHTS
South Asia
In 2022, Radisson Hotel Group continued to establish its presence in India, with 80% of the new deals signed marking the entry to new leisure destinations with flagship properties signed in locations such as Goa, Jim Corbett, Nainital, Palampur, and Kasauli.
India: New brands and extensions
· Radisson Individuals Retreats – Since its launch in April 2022, the group has signed three hotels across India and opened its first property, Rakkh Resort, a member of Radisson Individuals Retreats in December 2022, located in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh,
· Park Inn & Suites by Radisson – The launch of a new midscale brand, Park Inn & Suites by Radisson, will fuel the group’s next growth phase in tier 2 to 5 markets. A strategic partnership has been signed with Ruptub Solutions Private Limited to add 150 hotels over the next decade. The first hotel has been signed in Guruvayur, Kerala, and is slated to open by 2024. Looking ahead, the group will expand the Park Inn & Suites by the Radisson brand through the master franchise, collaboration, and brand development agreements.
Southeast Asia & Pacific
In 2022, Radisson Hotel Group strengthened its operations in five key markets. It established local business units in Jakarta, Sydney, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, which will drive its in-market development strategy while increasing the close collaboration with its local owners and partners.
New signings and openings
· Thailand – The group signed five hotels under the Radisson Individuals and Radisson brands, including flagship properties in top leisure destinations such as Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, and Bangkok. This includes the 179-room Radisson Resort & Suites Phuket, set on the west coast of Thailand’s leading island destination..
· Vietnam – The group expanded its presence in Vietnam by opening Radisson Hotel Danang and Radisson Resort Phan Thiet. It also announced the signing of the 128-key Radisson Resort Mui Ne on Suoi Nuoc Beach, a popular beachside destination on the country’s southeastern coast.
· Sri Lanka – 2022 marked the entry of Radisson Hotel Group into Sri Lanka with the signing and opening of three hotels. This includes the launch of the Radisson Blu resort in Galle, and two upscale Radisson hotels in Colombo, located in both the capital city and Kandy, the island’s cultural heart.
· Papua New Guinea – The group entered Papua New Guinea by opening the 156-key Grand Papua Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals, centrally located in Port Moresby.
· China – In China, Radisson Hotel Group continues to expand rapidly through organic and master franchise agreements. The company signed and opened over 80 hotels in China under the brands Radisson RED, Park Inn by Radisson, Park Plaza, and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson.
BANGKOK, 30 January 2023: Members of Qatar Airways Privilege Club (QRPC) can collect and spend Avios at almost 200 outlets at Hamad International Airport (HIA) in partnership with Qatar Duty-Free (QDF).
Avios is the reward currency of Qatar Airways Privilege Club and the preferred currency of the airline offering its most regular flyers extraordinary payment products. Avios can be used in conjunction with cash offering a part payment option. Avios are collected when members or their nominated family members fly with Qatar Airways, oneworld airlines, plus QR’s airline partners. Avios can also be collected with more than 100 global partners and co-branded payment cards.
In another innovation, passengers at all departure points will be rewarded with Avios points upon check-in, which will be credited up to 120 minutes before a flight departure.
This will allow Qatar Airways Privilege Club members to collect and spend Avios at the World’s Best Airport as part of their journey.
Qatar Airways flies to more than 150 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, currently named the ‘Best Airport in the World” by Skytrax World Airport Awards 2022.
KUALA LUMPUR, 30 January 2023: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) will move the upcoming MATTA Fair, Malaysia’s largest consumer travel fair, to a new venue, Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur.
Scheduled for 17 to 19 March, the organisers said the event would not only be larger than previous years, but it would also feature more destinations.
The new venue is a game changer in the business events industry, giving Malaysia the capability to compete and meet the demand in new growing markets, including regional and international exhibitions, in particular the market for “mega-exhibitions,” which will attract over 100,000 visitors and conferences or conventions with between 200 and 20,000 delegates.
Comprising over 52,000 square metres of exhibition space and triple volume display halls enables the MITEC sales team to position the venue as the largest trade and exposition centre in Malaysia and the third largest MICE venue in Southeast Asia.
MICE stand for “meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions.
MATTA FAIR @ MITEC
The tourism and leisure business has been one of the most severely impacted by the tourism impacts of COVID-19 and is among the most affected industries on a global scale. It was estimated that the leisure and domestic tourism sectors lost a total of USD 2.86 trillion.
Last September, World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTC) hosted the relaunch of the MATTA Fair in the post-Covid-19 transitional period.
However, MATTA says it could not expand its WTC floor space to fulfil the needs of members and exhibitors, forcing the organisers to shift the venue for the 52nd fair to MITEC.
The show will expand to cover 37,000 sqm, setting a new record for its sheer size to accommodate new exhibiting destinations and increased space bookings by exhibitors joining the MATTA Fair annually.
MATTA quotes the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which forecasts a global travel and tourism recovery in 2023 to the levels they were at before the pandemic.
It is anticipated that the industry will achieve an annual average growth rate of 5.8% between 2022 and 2032, compared to the expansion of 2.7% in the global GDP, and create 126 million new jobs globally.
WHAT’S NEW @ MATTA FAIR
Saudi Arabia is the up-and-coming player and has been named a featured destination for the MATTA Fair.
Destination partners
· Tourism Philippines as Gold Sponsor
· Tourism Perak as Malaysia’s Featured Destination
· Taiwan Tourism as Asia’s Featured Destination
Other partners
· Malaysia Aviation Group as Official Airlines Partner
· Royal Caribbean International as Cruise Partner
· AmLeisure Media as Media Partner
MITEC’s ground floor will house domestic tourism content and services from Malaysia’s attractions, hotels, resorts, cottages, airlines and travel services, plus all state tourism organisations. Perak will lead by occupying one-fifth of the floor area, making it the largest exhibitor in the domestic section hall. Other states such as Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Johor, Pahang, Terengganu, Sarawak, and Sabah are also on this floor along with Tourism Malaysia.
Both MITEC’s levels II and III, will house the international section (Outbound), leading off with national tourism offices (NTO) such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Hong Kong, Korea, and the Maldives.
An UMRAH section will take up space on Level II, where travel consumers can interact with Umrah operators who have been granted a license by the Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture (MOTAC) and will be selling Umrah and Hajj packages in addition to the other tours and services that are available.
MATTA FAIR will open from 1000 to 2100 on Friday, 17 March, to Sunday
