Travel fair in Penang set to attract 45,000
(From left) Leong, Hamzah, Tien and Chan at the press conference in George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has geared up for a bigger MATTA Fair Penang this year.
Scheduled to take place at Setia SPICE Arena on May 24 and 25, the fair will shine a spotlight on local destinations in support of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, said the event organising chairman Datuk Hamzah Rahmat.
International travel packages will also be available.
'MATTA Fair Penang has always been more than just a travel exhibition. It's a platform for growth, innovation and opportunity.
'This year the fair is expected to attract about 45,000 visitors, with projected sales reaching RM78mil over the two-day event, making it the leading travel fair in the northern region,' he said during a press conference in Jalan Macalister, George Town.
Hamzah said 260 booths had been booked by tour operators and tourism industry players who would be showcasing their products and services at the fair.
Last year, the fair managed to attract about 40,000 visitors and generated about RM40mil in sales, he said.
RHB Bank, being the event's exclusive Platinum Sponsor, will unveil a comprehensive suite of travel-focused financial offerings, including exclusive travel perks all tailored for today's increasingly mobile and experience-driven consumers.
'This strategic collaboration between MATTA and RHB Bank reflects a shared commitment to creating high-impact opportunities for industry players and consumers alike,' said Hamzah.
'With RHB Bank as our exclusive Platinum Sponsor, we're not only empowering our exhibitors but also giving travellers practical tools to make their journeys more affordable, seamless and rewarding.
'RHB's exclusive offerings add real value to the travel planning process, making their cards a must-have for anyone serious about travel,' he added.
RHB Banking Group regional director Joe Tien said the fair's visitors who apply for the bank's Multi-Currency Visa Debit Card could have application fees waived.
'RHB aims to support travellers and travel industry players in unlocking exciting journeys through smart, accessible and rewarding financial solutions.
'The debit card allows users to transact with ringgit and up to 33 foreign currencies, enjoying access to a fast, simple and seamless online banking experience wherever they go,' he said.
Also present were MATTA Penang chapter chairman Carolyn Leong and RHB Bank Lebuh Pantai branch manager Chan Suet Bee.
Admission to the MATTA Fair Penang event is free.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
11 hours ago
- The Star
Penang man loses more than RM1.3mil to online scam
GEORGE TOWN: A 46-year-old man here lost RM1,316,111 to an online scam recently. The Penang police Commercial Crime Division said it had received a report from the man who is a manager in a medical company. The victim said after he had seen an advertisement on Instagram, he got in touch with a woman, who is believed to part of an online scam syndicate. State police chief Comm Datuk Hamzah Ahmad said the victim was promised high returns in a short period if he participated in the share scheme. "The victim later downloaded the application 'TPG PRO', and from April 27 to 29 made 20 transactions amounting to RM1,316,111 to four different accounts for the investment. "The victim realised he was cheated when he could not withdraw his profits from his investment," he said. Comm Hamzah said the victim was later told to increase his investment if he wanted to withdraw the profits. He said the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Daily Express
12 hours ago
- Daily Express
Chief Minister to officiate Asean Travel Exchange June 19
Published on: Wednesday, June 04, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 04, 2025 Text Size: Tan (standing at right) briefing Minister Liew (seated at left) on ATE 2025. Kota Kinabalu: Preparations are underway for Sabah to host the two-day Asean Travel Exchange (ATE) 2025 this month, says State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew. Basically, ATE 2025 is a premier Business 2 Business (B2B) networking event in Sabah, connecting travel trade sellers and regional buyers to foster partnerships and collaborations on June 19 and 20. The Minister said the State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) will host this inaugural mega tourism event at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC). Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has been invited to officiate at the opening ceremony on June 19. Liew said KePKAS supports the proposal for four organisations to establish strategic partnership with Sabah Tourism Board (STB) in organising ATE 2025. They are the Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta), Federation of Asean Travel Associations (Fata), Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (Matta), and AirAsia Group. Asean has 10 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. For ATE 2025, the target audience will be made up of tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, homestay operators, product owners, and decision-makers from the industry stakeholders. 'As we gear up for the upcoming event, I have been informed by the President of Fata (Datuk Tan Kok Liang) that 354 delegates from 17 countries have already confirmed their participation. They comprise 125 sellers and 229 buyers,' said Liew after a courtesy call by a delegation from the organisers, recently. According to Tan, seller countries include Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, and Cambodia, with Malaysia leading the list at 88 sellers. 'On the buyers' side, top participating countries include the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Thailand. This strong regional presence underscores growing international interest in Malaysia's tourism offerings, particularly in Sabah, which continues to gain traction as a vibrant and strategic tourism hub in the region,' he said in his briefing for the Minister. Also present were the Ministry's Permanent Secretary Datuk Josie Lai, President of Matta Nigel Wong, Chairman of Matta Sabah Mohd Azlan Saleh, and Immediate Past Chairman of Matta Sabah, Lawrence Chin. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
13 hours ago
- The Star
FBM KLCI erases earlier gains as lacklustre momentum prevails
KUALA LUMPUR: The prospect of a relief rebound subsided as Bursa Malaysia closed lower at the midday break, beset by the absence of positive catalysts to inspire investor buying. At 12.30pm, the benchmark index was down 0.84 points to 1,502.41, at odds with key Asian indices that have been pulling higher on the back of optimism over US-China trade talks scheduled for this week. According to reports, investors are pinning their hopes on a possible call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week. Meanwhile, domestic index heavyweights have continued to slip amid the lacklustre domestic outlook. Maybank dropped four sen to RM9.72, RHB fell eight sen to RM6.40, Nestle shed 56 sen to RM78.04 and QL Resources slipped six sen to RM4.34. The broader market was also negative, weighed down by 489 stocks in the red, as compared to 322 advancers. The volume was 1.49 billion shares changing hands for RM833.5mil. In Asia, major developed markets stayed positive, with sentiment boosted by the overnight rally on Wall Street on the back of a jump in Nvidia stock. Japan's Nikkei rose 0.88% to 37,775, China's CSI 300 rose 052% to 3,871 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.72% to 23,680.
