Macao will be featured as the “International Favourite Destination” of this year’s Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents - MATTA Fair 2025, to be held in April in Kuala Lumpur. The designation will help to further showcase Macao’s tourism appeal and enhance the effectiveness of promotions in Malaysia in conjunction with a string of other initiatives to promote the city’s “tourism +” offerings conducted this year by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), as part of the efforts to consolidate Southeast Asian visitor source markets.

Privileged platform to promote Macao to Malaysian travelers

The announcement that Macao will be the “International Favourite Destination” of the MATTA Fair 2025, the largest travel trade fair for consumers in Malaysia, scheduled for 18 to 20 April, was made today (27 March) at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, with MGTO also represented at the occasion.

MGTO Marketing Division Head, Cora Vong, remarked at the press conference that Macao being the “International Favourite Destination” of MATA Fair 2025 rides on the joint work conducted with the association to rebound visitor arrivals from Malaysia after the pandemic, setting off to a good start this year’s promotional effort in the market. Cora Vong highlighted that MGTO will take advantage of this privileged opportunity to showcase Macao’s new dynamic development as a world centre of tourism and leisure and to effectively feature the city as an ideal short-haul destination for Malaysian travelers.

The President of MATTA, Nigel Wong, said that MATTA Fair plays a primary role in connecting travelers with a world of opportunities while driving business for its members especially in both inbound and outbound sectors, pointing out that the collaboration with Macao as this year’s “International Favourite Destination” serves as a testimony to how strategic partnerships can open new doors for both visitors and industry players.

Macao “tourism +” larger scale showcase at the fair

After conducting Macao promotion initiatives at MATTA Fair for the last two years, for this edition MGTO will reinforce its presence by setting up a booth at the travel trade fair for the first time since the pandemic. Under the theme “Experience Macao”, the booth will offer a showcase of Macao’s diverse “tourism +” offerings, combined with a program of live performances, workshops, interactive games, special offers of Macao travel products, as well as distributing MGTO newly released Macao for Muslim Travelers – Halal Travel Guide, among others. MGTO will also join a new one-day network event, “MATTA Connect”, to exchange with Malaysian tourism industry stakeholders.

Furthermore, as MATTA Fair “International Favourite Destination”, Macao will also be highlighted by the organizer on all the fair’s promotional and related materials, advertisements in multiple formats at the event venue, opening ceremony, along with destination promotion programs during the tourism exhibition, among others.

Launched in 1991, the MATTA Fair is Malaysia’s largest international travel fair. Organized twice each year, in April and September, the event provides a platform for the travel industry to promote their destinations, travel products, and services to consumers. The MATTA Fair 2024 in September attracted a record of 1,590 booths and over 190 thousand visitors.

Enhanced promotional efforts in Malaysia this year

MGTO is meanwhile conducting other promotional initiatives targeting Malaysia, one of Macao’s top ten visitor source markets. Aside from joining other major international travel trade fairs in the country this year, MGTO will also stage its annual mega roadshow to meet consumers and operators in Kuala Lumpur, striving to attract more visitors from Malaysia.

The Malaysian market is also being targeted throughout the year with initiatives such as cooperation with travel agents and airlines for special offerings of Macao travel packages and air tickets, organizing joint familiarization visits to the city for travel agents, media, and key opinion leaders. A media campaign about Macao tourism with Malaysian celebrities is also being prepared, while promotion on social media and other channels is ongoing.

Meanwhile, in cooperation with MATTA, MGTO is organizing the visit of a delegation of travel trade from Malaysia to attend the 13th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo in April, among other activities, to continue to boost visitor arrivals from the country, as part of the efforts to solidify the Southeast Asia market and attract more international visitors to Macao.