The NexT FroNTier

MATTA Places Priority
on Domestic Tourism
via MATTA Fair
Domestic’s the
Bedrock at B2B
Session
An Hour with the
Prime Minister
40th MATTA Annual
General Meeting
™
Official PublicatiOn Of the Malaysian assOciatiOn Of tOur and travel agents
OcT - Dec 2015
PP13679/04/2013(033458)
The NexT
FroNTier
When there’s a will, there’s a way. At MATTA, it
wills for a greater future beginning 2016. To find
out how they’re going to do it, turn to page 10.
MATTA SeTS SAil wiTh A New execuTive couNcil 2015/17 oN pA
p ge 17.
Fearless
Takaful IKHLAS
for the New Generation
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
WHY PAY MORE for your Travel PA Insurance or Takaful?
Do it yourself (DIY) and NO examination is required as we are one of the MATTA’s Takaful Operator / Islamic
Insurance Companies. Enjoy 25% COMMISSION OR REBATE** when you subscribe; IKHLAS KEMBARA
PLUS TAKAFUL a new Travel Personal Accident (Travel PA) for two (2) segments:
1. Inbound and Outbound Takaful
2. Hajj and Umrah Takaful
Official Takaful Partner
Kindly contact our PA, Special Scheme and Alternative Distribution Channel for USER ID and PASSWORD of
our 100% ONLINE PORTAL
Email : ikhlascare@takaful-ikhlas.com.my General : 03 2723 9999 Fax : 03 2711 8300
**Terms and condition applied
www.takaful-ikhlas.com.my | www.eikhlas.com.my
Takaful Ikhlas Berhad (593075 U) is a wholly owned subsidiary of MNRB Holdings Berhad,
has been registered under the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 and regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia
™
President’s Message
Dear Members,
SUARA MATTATM
A Quarterly Newsletter Publication by
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel
Agents (MATTA)
Editorial Board
President
Datuk Hj. Hamzah Rahmat
Deputy President
Rohizam bin Md Yusoff
Honorary Secretary General
Nigel Wong
Chief Executive Officer
Phua Tai Neng
Communications Executive
Nur Ilani Md Salleh
Publishing Consultant
Rightwiz Sdn Bhd
Printer
KHL Printing Co Sdn Bhd
Publisher
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel
Agents (MATTA)
For Advertising enquiries, please call
+603 9222 1155.
Address:
Wisma MATTA
No 6, Jalan Metro Pudu 2,
Fraser Business Park,
Off Jln Yew,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603 – 9222 1155
Fax: +603 - 9223 8555
Website: www.matta.org.my
A MATTA Publication
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any
form without the prior written consent of MATTA. Every
effort has been made to ensure that the contents of
this publication are correct and up-to-date at press
time. Details are subject to change without prior
notice and MATTA cannot be held responsible for any
consequences arising from errors or omissions in this
The Annual General Meeting on 23rd May 2015 culminated with the
election of a new Executive Council for the term 2015-2017. I would
like to extend my heartiest congratulations to all elected candidates.
It will be an honour to serve MATTA together with you over the course
of the next two years.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank every Member who
voted for my re-election as President of MATTA. This will be my second
and final term as President and my team and I will endeavour to do our very best for MATTA and
the Malaysian tour and travel industry.
Looking back, 2015 has been an eventful year. One of the prime events took place on the 27th
August 2015 where MATTA organised a very high profile agenda, ‘An Hour with the Prime
Minister’. Held at the Putra World Trade Centre, The Honourable Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Bin
Tun Haji Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, is the first Prime Minister of Malaysia
to have attended and engaged with MATTA, the national travel association in Malaysia, to get
an insight of MATTA and the strategic and fundamental role it plays as a pillar of the tour and
travel industry.
In 2015 also, the local travel industry faced one of the biggest challenges ever with the
implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). As part of MATTA’s efforts to continuously
engage and assist our practising members wherever possible, and after holding a series of
GST seminars nationwide, MATTA produced the GST Navigator for the Travel Industry.
The manual was launched on 22nd May 2015 by none other than the GST Director of Royal
Malaysian Customs Department, YBhg. Dato’ Subromaniam Thulasy.
On the business front, MATTA organised a successful national B2B Session during the AGM. The
very well attended Session was graced by YB Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, Minister of
Tourism, Culture and Environment, Sabah. In view of the soft market conditions, MATTA held
another B2B Session on 24th October 2015 in Langkawi with the hope of boosting arrivals
into Langkawi and to give our members in Kedah, particularly Langkawi, the much needed
assistance with their business. The event in Langkawi was fully supported by Kedah Tourism,
LADA, members of MAH Kedah Chapter, Tourism Malaysia and members of MATTA in Langkawi.
Bravo to our Kedah Chapter.
As part of MATTA’s progressive roadmap, MATTA is also actively gearing for the future – to
ensure that our tourism industry remains competitive and relevant, we are actively engaging
the younger generation of travel agents. New blood, tempered with experience, will be crucial
for MATTA to continue its work in championing the cause of the tourism industry in Malaysia
and in representing the rights of travel agents nationwide.
I look forward to leading MATTA with greater vigour. It is my honest belief that together,
working as one body, we can make a tremendous, positive impact on our industry.
Warmest Regards,
DATUK HJ HAMZAH RAHMAT
President
Term 2015 - 2017
publication.
Suara MATTA | 1
Contents
Feature
06
MAT TA’s Cour tesy Call to
City Police Chief of Kota
Kinabalu
MATTA VP of Inbound, Datuk KL Tan led
a delegation to a courtesy visit to Kota
Kinabalu City Police Chief ACP Tuan M.
Chandra. Find out why the “whites” aren’t
necessarily pure and good.
10
It’s all about inspiring a new
generation to take the lead. It’s about
going forward, breaking boundaries
and learning from the seasoned
hands to chart new territories.
12
An Hour with the Prime
Minister
14
Outbound Luxury Travelers
from China
07
Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Dekat
Je Sarawak: B2B Session
& Product Update
MAT TA ‘Langkawi Meets
2015 – Domestic Promotion:Discover Kedah 2016’
Two B2B sessions were held to promote tour
and travel in both West and East Malaysia,
namely the largest Malaysian state of
Sarawak and globally ranked Langkawi.
08
MAT TA Tabung Bencana
Gempa Bumi ‘Our
Heroes’
Neither shaken nor stirred, the quake just
made our heroes stronger atop Mount
Kinabalu.
08
MATTA Courtesy Visit to Star
Media Group
Although a daily affair, it’s not often an
organisation gets to visit a leading media
company and take a look behind the scenes.
2 | Suara MATTA
Travel Trade Sector Requires
Progress
Seasoned in the field, MATTA’s very own YS
Chan offered his views about the nuts and
bolts to improving the industry.
Coverstory
The Next
Frontier
09
The first ever visit to MATTA by the top man of
the country Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji
Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The dragon has awoken long time ago and
they are now venturing into outbound travel
which were never popular prior to this. Find
out the latest infographics by travel and
hospitality market research firm GfK.
17
MAT TA Executive
Council 2015/2017
18
Celebration of Festivals
at MAT TA Annual Dinner
16
Find out who’s who in MATTA’s official office
2015/2017.
15
Domestic’s the Bedrock
at B2B Session
248 organisations attended the Domestic
Tourism Promotion B2B Session in Kuala
Lumpur to boost Malaysia’s domestic travel.
15
GST Navigator - MAT TA’s
Pioneering GST “GPS”
Getting your tax bearings right by getting
yourself a copy of MATTA’s GST Navigator.
2015
After a full year of activities, efforts and
sacrifice, it’s time to let the hair down.
19
MAT TA Cruise Seminar &
Workshop 1.0
With more and more destinations making it
to the tour and travel industry, even water
travels of cruises are now part of MATTA’s
plan.
Highlights
20
MAT TA Places Priority
on Domestic Tourism via
MAT TA Fair
The largest tour and travel fair in the country
by MATTA had in this year promote our local
but unspoiled destinations. Have you booked
your tickets?
22
MAT TA Meetings
23
MAT TA in the News
Meetings held with all the
important leading tour and travel agents as
well as practitioners from Japan, Hong Kong
and Nepal.
A look at where MATTA has brought
its voice to and what actions they’ve taken.
Departure
24
What’s On in 2016?
Book your 2016 calendar now if you
have not been to any of the events this year.
16
MAT TA 40th AGM
40 years later and still going strong with the new appointments of Ex-Officio MOTAC,
Honorary Secretary General and VP of Research & Technology.
Suara MATTA | 3
CONGRATULATORY
MATTA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TERM 2015 - 2017 AND MEMBERS OF
MATTA EXTEND WARMEST CONGRATULATIONS TO:
YANG BERHORMAT DATUK MAS ERMIEYATI SAMSUDIN
for being appointed as
DEPUTY MINISTER OF TOURISM AND CULTURE MALAYSIA
on 28 July 2015
YANG BERBAHAGIA TAN SRI DATUK DR ONG HONG PENG
SECRETARY GENERAL OF MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND CULTURE MALAYSIA
for being conferred with
PANGLIMA SETIA MAHKOTA (PSM)
which carries the title ‘TAN SRI’ by
SERI PADUKA BAGINDA YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG AL-SULTAN ALMU’TASIMU BILLAHI MUHIBBUDDIN
TUANKU ALHAJ ABDUL HALIM MU’ADZAM SHAH IBNI AL-MARHUM SULTAN BADLISHAH
on the Occasion of His Majesty’s Official 88th Birthday
on 6 June 2015
YANG BERUSAHA MR. WEE CHOO KEONG
for being appointed as
CHAIRMAN OF MALAYSIA TOURISM PROMOTION BOARD
on 17 June 2015
YANG BERBAHAGIA DATO’ MOHAMED RAZIP HASAN
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLICITY DIVISION OF TOURISM MALAYSIA
for being conferred with
DARJAH KEBESARAN MAHKOTA PAHANG YANG AMAT MULIA – PERINGKAT KEDUA DARJAH
INDERA MAHKOTA PAHANG (DIMP)
which carries the title ‘Dato’ by
KEBAWAH DULI YANG MAHA MULIA SULTAN PAHANG SULTAN HAJI AHMAD SHAH AL-MUSTA’IN BILLAH
IBNI ALMARHUM SULTAN ABU BAKAR RIAYATUDDIN AL-MU’ADZAM SHAH
on the Occasion of His Majesty’s Official 84th Birthday
on 13 June 2015
YANG BERBAHAGIA DATO’ ABDUL KHANI DAUD
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING DIVISION OF TOURISM MALAYSIA
for being conferred with
DARJAH SETIA DIRAJA KEDAH (DSDK)
which carries the title ‘Dato’ by
KEBAWAH DULI YANG MAHA MULIA SULTAN KEDAH AL-SULTAN ALMU’TASIMU BILLAHI MUHIBBUDDIN
TUANKU ALHAJ ABDUL HALIM MU’ADZAM SHAH IBNI AL-MARHUM SULTAN BADLISHAH
on the Occasion of His Majesty’s Official 85th Birthday
on 20 June 2015
4 | Suara MATTA
Suara Matta | 5
FEATURE
MATTA’s Courtesy Call to City
Police Chief of Kota Kinabalu
M
ATTA Vice President of Inbound, Datuk
Tan Kok Liang had on 6 May 2015 led a
delegation to pay a courtesy visit to Kota Kinabalu
City Police Chief ACP Tuan M. Chandra. The
delegation comprised MATTA Sabah Chapter
Chairman Robert Chong, Sabah MoTAC Director
Tuan Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar and MATTA Sabah
Chapter committee members.
Among the agenda discussed was the issue of
illegal vans being used to ferry tourists in the city.
The presence of these illegal vans, often white
in colour, is posing a risk to the tourism industry.
Complaints from the ground include poor
service, “no show” to customers being cheated.
In describing the situation to Tuan M. Chandra,
Datuk Tan urged the PDRM to exercise their full
authority to curb the activities of this illegal
business including impounding their vehicles.
Tuan Zaki explained that MoTAC has
been keeping a close tab on the rise of this
“transportation system”. They have also been
carrying out their duties to ensure offenders
caught flouting the law are subjected to a
maximum penalty of RM50,000 or two years’
imprisonment, or both.
Sabah Chapter Chairman Robert Chong
offered MATTA Sabah Chapter’s full cooperation
with the police and will facilitate PDRM and
MoTAC with a list of regular hotspots where the
illegal operators operate from.
“More joint operations will be carried out”, said
Tuan M. Chandra as he thanked the delegation’s
visit to his office. He said that PDRM will give its
full cooperation with MoTAC to ensure the issue
of “illegal white vans” will soon be brought under
control in Sabah.
A fruitful discussion with MATTA Vice President of Inbound Datuk Tan Kok Liang and Kota Kinabalu City Police Chief ACP Tuan M. Chandra, Robert Chong (man in
white with jacket), Tuan Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar (in blue shirt with tie) with both delegations.
6 | Suara MATTA
Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Dekat Je Sarawak:
B2B Session & Products Update
A
s the torch of MyFest 2015 spreads from
Kuala Lumpur to the rest of the country,
MATTA Sarawak Chapter organised the Sarawak
B2B Session & Products Update in Johor to
harness what the state has to offer.
The two-day event was held at the Grand
Paragon Hotel in Johor Bahru from 8 to 9
September. It was a successful three-way
collaboration with MATTA Sarawak Chapter,
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Air Asia
Berhad presenting Sarawak in a totally different
light.
13 MATTA members from Kuching, Sibu
and Miri came to exemplify the harmonious
East Malaysia spirit at the event. In return,
MATTA Johor Chapter came in full force with 40
members to support the Sarawak agenda.
The Prime Minister had earlier in the year
voiced his plan to see the domestic travel grow
and this programme itself lends weight as a
platform for that.
Sarawak possesses its own unique charms
to the tourists. From the Cat Museum to the
Rainforest Word Music Festival, the long houses
to the untouched habitats of nature, this largest
state of Malaysia indeed have more roots to
support it from the ground than there are on
the billboards, adverts or facebook. But like
every other trip, you’d have to make it there to
see it for yourself to believe it.
For more information about traveling to Sarawak,
get in touch with the Malaysian Association of
Tour and Travel Agents Sarawak Chapter at the
second floor, Section 33, Jalan Tabuan, 93100, P.O.
Box 2455, 93748 Kuching, Sarawak. Alternatively,
you may email secretariat.sarawak@matta.org.
my, mattakch@gmail.com, cal +082-253276 or fax
to 082-253341.
MATTA Sarawak Chapter Chairman Chris Kon
receiving a souvenir from MATTA Johor Chapter
Chairman Kathryn Lee.
MATTA ‘Langkawi Meets 2015 – Domestic
Promotion:- Discover Kedah 2016’
P
ride of Malaysia’s global destination
Langkawi got its very first taste of MATTA-led
programme on 23 to 25 October with MATTA
‘Langkawi. Meets 2015 – Domestic Promotion:Discover Kedah 2016’, at the Langkawi Fair
Shopping Mall.
Officiating the B2B Mart was Kedah Exco for
Tourism, YB Dato’ Hj Rawi Hj Abd Hamid who was
representing the Menteri Besar of Kedah, YBhg
Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Director General
of Tourism Malaysia, who also hosted a dinner
at Adya Hotel for the delegates. MATTA HQ was
led by the Deputy President Rohizam Md Yusoff
together with Kedah Chapter Chairman Encik
Ahmad Pishol Haji Ishak.
The objective of the event was to promote the
nation’s domestic tourism, earmarking Langkawi
as a preferred tourist destination as well as
encouraging long-term, healthy and stable
partnerships between MATTA members and the
relevant government agencies.
Supported by Lembaga Pembangunan
Langkawi (LADA), Tourism Malaysia, Kedah
Tourism, Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH),
tour to Dayang Bunting and Oriental Village to be
better acquainted with the island.
View of the hall during the event.
MATTA Kedah Chapter, MATTA Kedah Chapter
and Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall, the inaugural
event saw the participation of 211 members from
123 companies across the country. Sellers at the
programme were primarily from Langkawi and
buyers came from other states. At the conclusion
of the event, delegates were taken for an optional
The results speaks for itself with smiles across the
faces of (from left) Kedah Tourism CEO YBhg. Dato’
Zulkifli Mohamad, LADA CEO YB Tan Sri Khalid
Ramli, Kedah Chapter Chairman Ahmad Pishol Haji
Ishak, Kedah Exco for Tourism YB Dato’ Hj Rawi Hj
Abd Hamid, Director Domestic Promotion Division
of Tourism Malaysia En. Iskandar Mirza Mohd Yusof,
one of the participants at the programme and
MATTA Deputy President Rohizam Md Yusoff.
Suara MATTA | 7
FEATURE
MATTA Tabung Bencana Gempa Bumi
‘Our Heroes’
The triumph of the human spirit is best displayed in troubled times.
T
he tragedy that took 18 lives on 5 June 2015
shook the tallest peak of the country at
Mount Kinabalu at 5.9 magnitude, the strongest
yet in Malaysia. As part of a preventive measure,
the Kinabalu Park was closed to the public but
the unyielding spirits of the mountain guides
came to the forefront as they climbed the shaken
mountain to rescue those who were stranded.
Their unselfish courage caught the attention
of the people around the world and although
four had perished during the quake, their spirits
remain strong.
As a sign of respect and support to the Sabah
tourism industry, MATTA established the Tabung
Bencana Gempa Bumi ‘OUR HEROES’ with the
purpose of raising funds for the Persatuan Malim
Gunung Kinabalu. A total of RM80,000 was
collected and donors were made up by MATTA
members and some of their loyal clients.
According to MATTA Sabah Chapter Chairman
Mr. Robert Chong, RM50,000 of the total sum
collected was given to the Board of Trustees of
Sabah Parks, responsible for the preservation
and conservation of Mount Kinabalu, and as
financial aid to the affected mountain guides. The
remaining RM30,000 was given to the families of
the four deceased mountain guides. The donation
was presented in a ceremony at MATTA Fair Sabah
in July this year and was witnessed by YB Datuk
Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, Minister Of Tourism
Culture and Environment Sabah.
For the mountain guides who turned to be
the rescuers, it is a genuine display of triumph of
the human spirit. Their courage is immeasurable
as they put their lives on the line to carry human
lives, one after another to safety. MATTA salutes!
Donation recipients showing mock cheques they received and witnessed by YB Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi
Manjun, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah. Also in the photo are (from left) Mr Robert
Chong, MATTA Sabah Chapter Chairman; YBhg. Datuk Hj. Hamzah Rahmat, MATTA President; YBhg. Datuk
Tan Kok Liang, MATTA VP Inbound and YB Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board.
MATTA Courtesy Visit to Star Media Group
T
he Star Media Group, MATTA’S long standing
supporter had on 22 October hosted a
courtesy visit for MATTA, led by MATTA President
Datuk Hj. Hamzah Rahmat.
The purpose of the courtesy visit was to
foster a stronger friendship between The Star
and MATTA, and to forge a closer and healthier
working relationship between both parties. Thus
far, The Star’s support has been unwavering with
regular media coverage for MATTA as well as its
repeated appointment as MATTA Fair’s Official
Media Partner in recent years.
Present at the visit were The Star’s Group
Managing Director/CEO Datuk Seri Wong Chun
Wai, Chief Revenue Officer Ms Lim Bee Leng and
Editor-in-Chief Datuk Leanne Goh. Datuk Hamzah
was accompanied by MATTA’s Exco Members
and the delegation was given a first hand tour
to witness how a newspaper is published with
peeks into the Editorial Floors, The StarTV.com,
Cyberhub and the Star Gallery.
8 | Suara MATTA
MATTA Exco led by MATTA President Datuk Hamzah and friends from The Star.
INDUSTRY
Travel Trade Sector
Requires Progress
In Malaysia, companies in the travel trade sector are licensed
by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MoTAC) under Tour
Operating Business and Travel Agency Business (TOBTAB).
T
ravel agencies are licensed for “ticketing”
and they act as agents for airlines, hotels,
wholesalers and other principals.
Tour companies with “outbound” licence
are permitted to package and offer tours to
individuals and groups for travel out of the
country.
Tour operators with “inbound” licence may
provide services for visitors to Malaysia, or to local
residents for travel within the country or domestic
tourism.
Those that operate tour buses, vans and cars
or offer vehicles for self-drive are also licensed
under “inbound”, with commercial vehicle permits
issued by the Land Public Transport Commission
in Peninsular Malaysia, and by MoTAC in Sabah
and Sarawak.
Each sub-sector of the travel industry requires
a different set of knowledge and skills, and those
who have acquired the necessary expertise would
be able to excel in their careers and businesses.
Such expertise could only be mastered by
immersing in the industry. If academic knowledge
alone is sufficient, then the travel sector would
have been dominated by tourism graduates. But
what we have are many graduates who fail to
describe tourism well in their own words.
The fact that the majority of tourism graduates
do not work in the tourism industry should
prompt the National Tourism Human Resources
Development Council to introduce additional
measures to bridge the gap between education
and industry.
There are around 3,800 companies licensed
under TOBTAB but most of them are small
enterprises with a handful of staff. The career
development of the workers depends on the
boss, who is usually the owner, managing director
or chief executive officer.
Career development starts from the top.
They need to be enlightened on the potential of
their trade and develop their staff to expand the
business. But most of them are only interested in
having a vacancy filled and hope the staff will stay
on as long as possible, without charting a career
path for them.
Entrepreneurs should show dynamism,
declare their plans to do better in business and
venture into new areas, bringing synergy to the
group.
I used to work for a group of companies that
started as a travel agency and developed into a
leading outbound tour operator. They used the
huge cash collection to venture into the car rental
business and expanded into inbound tours.
Trained staff and those talented are sought
after everywhere. They are at no cost to
organisations as they bring in more business or
value to earn their keep.
TOBTAB companies should not remain status
quo. They should plan to expand, create jobs and
set career paths for the staff. With access to such
data, fresh graduates would know the availability
and potential of jobs in the travel trade sector,
and internships would be fruitful.
Formal industry training should group those
working in the same jobs such as reservations and
ticketing, inbound or outbound tour operations,
tour guiding or tour leading, tour vehicle or car
rental operations, and many more.
For those lacking exposure or new to their
jobs, five-day intensive courses would be
most suitable. Experienced practitioners could
brainstorm and share ideas on current issues and
challenges in two-day workshops.
Managers aspiring for formal qualifications
could enroll for a professional diploma
programme with the training arm of a local public
university in collaboration with the industry.
A professional diploma in tours management
include four career certificates, one each for
inbound tour operations, tour guiding, outbound
tour operations and tour leading.
Career and business developments would
have to include catching up with the latest news
and trends, easily available over the Internet and
social media.
Professionals and businessmen too would
have to participate in many industry briefings,
seminars, events, functions, conferences and
networking.
Those who speak or write well should also
contribute, which would help in their own career
development and others in the industry.
Written by YS Chan, Industry Liaison Manager of
MATTA, Kuala Lumpur. Article first appeared in
Malay Mail Online on Tuesday, 9 June 2015.
Suara MATTA | 9
COVERSTORY
Leading the Next agenda are (right) Rohizam
bin Md Yusoff, MATTA Deputy President; (left)
Nigel Wong, Honorary Secretary General and
Mohammad Faeez bin Mohammad Fadhlillah,
VP Research & Technology.
The Next Frontier
Trending: MATTA Next.
J
ust about ten years ago, before the beginning
of social media, there was likely no prediction
that the younger generation was going to lead
start-up companies that would dominate the
world one day. Today, this is the new world we
live in and today this is reality.
With new forms of interaction from “poking” to
“liking” and “analytics” to “trending”, the tour and
travel industry is also marching to the same tune
if not “forced” to follow it. The younger generation
of travellers are seeing the world and capturing
what they see with selfies, wefies and through
mobile phones and tablets, all of which have
never happened before. What’s taking place now
has birthed a new set of parameters that were
not there previously for the practitioners to work
with. Although this new trend is increasing the
travel volume as a whole, it has also produced
many questions and some with no answers.
With the world switching its travel formula
by using technology-driven sites and apps
like TripAdvisor and Airbnb, the conventional
markets of safe travel, accountable bookings and
legitimate insurance become a critical question.
For example, safety and accountability are now
10 | Suara MATTA
exchanged for reduced cost of travel but what
travellers do not realise is that when something
goes wrong, the consequences can be disastrous.
Dawn of the Next Generation
In MATTA’s effort to curb this problem from
growing further, it is engaging with the idea of
MATTA Next. It is a new initiative targeted at the
younger practitioners in the business especially
those aged between 30 and 40 years old.
Part of the plan is to have more learning sessions.
MATTA Next will be introduced to nurture
trust and educate best practices among this
younger generation in the tour and travel
industry. Its purpose is to raise the profile of the
Association with more participation from the
younger generation so that questions and doubts
surrounding them arising from the new ways
of doing business can be answered clearly and
confidently.
To be effective, MATTA Next will be given
“It will become the
younger members’
“passports” to a bigger
role and influence to the
industry”
MATTA Next aims for better
exposure and understanding
via its programmes.
the responsibilities to operate like MATTA’s
Subcommittee where they will have some form
of authority to carry out their duties. This will
follow the common practices of this new era
and at the same time keeping it relevant for the
senior leadership at MATTA. The Association also
anticipates MATTA Next to discover new leaders
who have the potential to lead in the future.
What’s Next?
To get it started, MATTA Deputy President
Rohizam bin Md Yusoff will engage on a few
levels with the younger members. He will
be assisted closely by Nigel Wong, Honorary
Secretary General of MATTA who incidentally is a
proven “MATTA Next” experiment carried out by
President Datuk Hj. Hamzah Rahmat several years
ago.
MATTA Next’s agenda includes but is not
limited to the following:
l Holding an Induction Week to allow younger
members to familiarise themselves with MATTA.
l To explain about MATTA’s Code of Ethics and
why it is necessary for a member and the industry.
l To know about MATTA’s role and its influence
with the government.
l To understand the rationale behind having
practising licences and why they are a mandatory
requirement.
l To learn about the success stories of MATTA’s
fight for a better tour and travel sector.
l Grasp a better understanding of consumers then, now and the future.
l Identify new tourism product sub-sectors (e.g.
rock climbing).
l Be educated about technology’s role and the
sector’s dependency upon it.
l Obtain the knowledge with regards to policies,
visas and the relevant regulations.
l Understanding the risks and reward structure
of the practice.
Growing together in the industry.
According to a survey done in-house, the
establishment of MATTA Next is a timely one. The
survey results show that within MATTA, there are
eager and young members who have yet to really
understand the way they can participate and
contribute to the Association. Some members are
also not aware how MATTA is able to contribute
to the potential of their businesses. Given such a
backdrop, MATTA Next looks promising to serve
as the perfect platform for the younger members
to learn about the industry and how they can
innovatively open up new dimensions for the
benefit of the industry.
To the 40-year-old MATTA, the creation of
MATTA Next is like a breath of fresh air. It will
become the younger members’ “passports” to
a bigger role and influence to the industry. It
will also be a place for them to sharpen their
leadership skills while working alongside
and guided by the more experienced MATTA
Executive Council.
In essence, MATTA should not be mistaken as
only a “convenient door to licences” but instead
be recognised as an institution that seeks to
protect and preserve the best environment for all
tour and travel practitioners.
As the launch date draws closer in 2016,
MATTA encourages those within the target group
to begin their preparation. One can treat joining
MATTA Next like investing into the golden goose
where every minute spent is assured of greater
returns, both in terms of business exposure
and also for the betterment of their very own
businesses.
Suara MATTA | 11
FEATURE
An Hour with the
Prime Minister
History was made as MATTA hosted YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib
bin Tun Hj. Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
A
n Hour with the YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin
Tun Haji Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister of
Malaysia” was held on Thursday, 27 August 2015
at Dewan Tun Hussein Onn, Putra World Trade
Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
The invitation to the Prime Minister by MATTA
was a strategic initiative to boost and align the
travel and tourism industry with the aspirations
of the Government. In that short one hour, the
Prime Minister voiced his confidence to MATTA
towards the local travel industry given its “strong
fundamentals”, which stands as the fifth largest
economic sector of the country.
He cited the pristine natural surroundings of
the various destinations around the country, the
hospitality of our people and the rich cultural
heritage as examples that are attractive to the
tourists. He also pointed out that the travel
industry is currently buoyed by the favourable
currency and as such foreign tourists may draw
more experiences from their travel to Malaysia.
Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak kicked off the important hour with his
keynote speech.
Taking a broader view, the Prime Minister was
mindful that competition is stiff in the region. As
such, he felt the competitive environment may
now warrant the revision of certain immigration
and travelling policies such as visa requirements
and procedures to draw up new incentive
programmes to further motivate the sector
for both the travellers and the tour and travel
practitioners.
Admittedly, the plane disasters that plagued
Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia had been bitter
pills to swallow. Nonetheless, the Prime Minister
remained confident that Malaysia has more to
offer given the nature of our blessed country.
In a cordial mood, the Prime Minister
expressed his support to MATTA as the largest
national travel association in championing the
tourism industry in the country.
A record of immense appreciation from MATTA President Datuk Hamzah Rahmat to the Prime Minister YAB
Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Razak.
12 | Suara MATTA
MATTA Inbound Vice President Datuk Tan Kok Liang presenting the pioneering GST Navigator for Travel Industry, first of its kind by any private or public sector in the
country, to the Prime Minister.
The VIPs in attendance were Deputy Minister
of Culture and Tourism YB Datuk Mas Ermieyati
Binti Samsudin, Deputy Secretary General YBhg.
Datuk Hj. Abdul Ghaffar bin A. Tambi and Director
General of Tourism Malaysia YBhg. Dato’ Mirza
Mohammad Taiyab. Alongside the 20 MATTA Exco
Members present were about 200 delegates.
The Association would like to record its
gratitude to the Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri
Mohd Najib Razak and all who had worked hard
to make the event a successful one. It will go
down as one of the most important milestones in
MATTA’s history.
From the crowd view of a very historical event by MATTA.
Picture perfect, MATTA Exco Members 2015-2017 together with Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.
Suara MATTA | 13
INDUSTRY
Domestic’s the Bedrock at
B2B Session
I
n response to the Prime Minister’s call to step
up promotions on domestic tourism, the main
thrust of MyFest 2015, MATTA as the leading tour
and travel association in the country organised a
Domestic Tourism Promotion B2B Session on 22
May 2015.
At the Session, Guest of Honour Dato’ Mirza
Mohammad Taiyab, Director General of Tourism
Malaysia complimented the support by MATTA
and its members for its diligence in promoting
the government’s efforts both locally and abroad.
He cited the importance of domestic tourism as
a bedrock to sustain the tourism economy when
global crises reduce foreign tourists into Malaysia.
In support of MATTA, he said, “I look forward
to seeing MATTA playing a bigger role in boosting
Malaysia’s tourism industry. Tourism Malaysia can
lead, guide and promote the country, but at the
end of the day the operators and handlers are
the travel agents and tour operators represented
by all of you in MATTA. So, let’s work together
in building a stronger partnership between the
public and private sectors to bring our tourism
industry to greater heights.”
Sharing the same sentiments, Organising
Chairman of the Session Datuk Tan Kok Liang
reiterated the significance of the domestic
industry where in 2013 alone, up to 54.4 million
domestic tourists generated RM35.6 billion in
tourism receipts. Encouraged by the numbers,
he opined that “MATTA would continue to
collaborate and enhance its marketing efforts
with our National Tourism Organisation i.e.
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board or Tourism
Malaysia in short, and all State Tourism Bodies, to
boost domestic tourism in Malaysia.”
The one day B2B Session was also attended
by another Guest of Honour, Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Environment of Sabah, YB Datuk
Seri Panglima Masidi Haji Manjun. A timely and
relevant Session, it attracted 248 organisations
made up of MATTA members, travel agents, State
Tourism Offices and Airlines like Malindo Air and
Firefly as participants.
Attending and informing the media by the VIPs of the Session, (from left) Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab,
Director General of Tourism Malaysia; MATTA President Datuk Hj. Hamzah Rahmat; YB Datuk Seri Panglima
Masidi Haji Manjun, Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment; MATTA Vice President Inbound
Datuk Tan Kok Liang and Dato’ Musa Yusof, Director Domestic Marketing Division, Tourism Malaysia.
GST Navigator
- MATTA’s
Pioneering GST
“GPS”
I
n line with the introduction of the Goods
and Services Tax (GST) in Malaysia on
1 April 2015, MATTA stepped forth to
launch the industry’s very first guidebook
to facilitate tour and travel operators in
navigating through the questions and
queries surrounding this new tax regime. The
aptly titled manual, GST Navigator for Travel
Industry, was launched in Kuala Lumpur by
the GST Director of Royal Malaysian Customs
Dato’ Subromaniam Thulasy. He regarded
the GST Navigator as the first for the tourism
industry and is likely to be the first of its kind
for any industry sectors in Malaysia.
Our very own MATTA President Datuk Hj.
Hamzah Rahmat sees the GST Navigator as
among the vital solutions to his fellow MATTA
members because “GST, as everybody knows
has become a very crucial issue affecting
the travel industry due to the complexities,
processes and handling of the tour and
travel business. For that reason, it is MATTA’s
obligation to the members to make the GSTadoption process less challenging.”
An effort that began in April 2014 and
finally compiled at more than 200-pages, the
GST Navigator is co-authored by Datuk Tan
Kok Liang, MATTA Vice President for Inbound
and tax consultants Kenneth Yong and Lee
Fook Koon. The manual will serve as a useful
guide in addition to RMC’s GST Guide on
Travel Industry.
The GST Navigator for Travel Industry
provides a wide coverage of specialised
GST treatments and related issues including
air ticketing, tour packages, ground
transportation, cruises, tax invoice
for travel products and transitional
problems with ticketing and tours.
To get yourself a copy, contact
MATTA HQ at +603-9222 1155,
email bharathi@matta.org.my.
The GST Navigator for Travel
Industry is priced at RM250
each. It is exclusively
produced for MATTA
members only and
not sold to the
public.
Energetic faces of members before the launch of the event.
Suara MATTA | 15
INDUSTRY
40th MATTA AGM
T
he 40th AGM of the Association was
successfully held on 23 May 2015 at the
Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
Among the key milestones achieved at the
annual meeting was the re-election of Datuk Hj.
Hamzah Rahmat as MATTA’s President for the
2015-2017 term and the election of a new lineup
of Exco members to spearhead the aspirations of
the Association over the new term.
At the AGM, Mr Ramchand of MSL Travel Sdn
Bhd also proposed for an Exco-led quarterly
brief to keep members abreast with the latest
initiatives and happenings of the industry. This
idea was well accepted and such quarterly
reports will begin appearing in the Association’s
newsletter Suara MATTA.
Members at the annual general meeting
adopted several key reports, among them were
the 39th AGM minutes held on 21 June 2014;
the Annual Report 2014; the Audited Annual
Members exercising their rights to vote by
collecting their voting token.
Accounts, the Statement of Receipts & Payments
of Matta for the year ended 31 December 2014;
the Annual Budget 2016 and the appointment of
Mazars as MATTA’s External Auditors.
Attended by 469 members, the AGM is a
platform for members to meet and understand
the Association’s objectives and activities as well
as getting to the know the leadership team that
helps steer MATTA.
MATTA Exco 2013-2015 setting the motion for the day at the 40th AGM.
Appointment of Ex-Officio of MoTAC
Pn. Nor Yahati Awang
MATTA congratulates the appointment of Pn. Nor Yahati Awang as an Ex-Officio member in the Exco.
She is the Head of Licensing Department, Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia. We look forward to
a fruitful exchange between MoTAC and MATTA.
Appointment of Honorary Secretary General of MATTA
Mr. Nigel Wong, Urban Rhythms Tours, Adventures and Travel Sdn Bhd
Nigel Wong was appointed as the Honorary Secretary General for the term 2015-2017 after his
dedicated service to the Association as the Vice President of Research & Technology for the term 20132015.
Largely responsible for the success of Travel Tech Conference & Exhibition 2015, the industry’s
first travel and technology conference organised by MATTA, Nigel has proven his capabilities and
commitment towards the tour and travel industry. He brings with him an admirable attitude to his work
and his delivery is outstanding. As the newly appointed Honorary Secretary General, he shall spearhead
the challenge at MATTA.
16 | Suara MATTA
Appointment of Vice
President Research &
Technology of MATTA
En Mohammad Faeez bin Mohammad
Fadhlillah, Lagisatu Travel Sdn Bhd
The Executive Council of MATTA unanimously
agreed to appoint En Mohammad Faeez bin
Mohammad Fadhlillah of Lagisatu Travel Sdn
Bhd as the Vice President of Research and
Technology for the term 2015–2017 from 17 Aug
2015. The post was vacated with the resignation
of En Mohd Huzainy bin Zalani Bongsu of P2P
Worldwide Vacation (M) Sdn Bhd on 7 Aug 2015
who was elected to the position at the MATTA
Annual General Meeting held on 23 May 2015.
Matta Executive Council Members 2015/2017
President
Datuk Hj. Hamzah
Rahmat
Ex-Officio
Nor Yahati binti Awang
Deputy President
Rohizam bin Md Yusoff
Honorary Secretary
General
Nigel Wong
Honorary Treasurer
Datin Josephhine Low
Vice President Inbound
Datuk KL Tan
Vice President Outbound
Mita Lim
Vice President Ticketing
Zarinah Hashim
Vice President Ground Transportation
Jaya Kumar A/L S.
Sannadurai
Vice President Education & Training
Mohd Syahirpaul
Redzuan Bin Musa
Vice President Research & Technology
Mohammad Faeez bin
Mohammad Fadhlillah
Bumiputera
Representative
Dato’ Hj. Yaacob Bin Hj
Hussin
Bumiputera
Representative
Shahrulnezam Mohd
Daud
Bumiputera
Representative
Syarifah Norjulishima
binti Syed Rohani
Melaka Chapter
Chairman
Amanda Yau
Kedah/Perlis Chapter
Chairman
Ahmad Pishol
bin Hj Ishak
Selangor Chapter
Chairman
Hj. Mohd Akil
bin Mohd Yusof
Negeri Sembilan
Chapter Chairman
Hj. Mohd Azri Abd.
Razak
KL Chapter Chairman
Rocky Kho
KL Deputy Chapter
Chairman
Cynthia Tan
Johor Chapter
Chairman
Kathryn Lee
Sarawak Chapter
Chairman
Chris Kon
Terengganu Chapter
Chairman
Roslan bin Idris
Pahang Chapter
Chairman
Hj. Burhanuddin
bin Ghazali
Kelantan Chapter
Chairman
Hj. Wan Muhd Zamri
bin Wan Salleh
Sabah/Labuan Chapter
Chairman
Robert Chong
Perak Chapter
Chairman
Chooi Swee Poh
Suara MATTA | 17
HIGHLIGHTS
Celebration of Festivals at MATTA
Annual Dinner 2015
I
t was indeed the “Celebration of Festivals” with
600 guests turning out for a fun-filled gettogether evening on 22 May 2015. Held at Berjaya
Times Square Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, MATTA’s
Annual Dinner was a night of song, dance and a
sumptuous dining.
Led by Organising Chairman S. Jayakumar, he
said the annual dinner was an opportunity for
everybody at MATTA to chill out, have fun and
network with each other. The smiles across the
faces of friends and members were a reflection of
the celebration spirit and they came from every
corner of the nation, as far as Sabah and Sarawak
who came decked out in their signature colourful
and attractive outfits.
A night to remember, with awards, prizes and recognition.
Sir Elton John would have loved their hats.
Let’s shake it with Adibah Noor.
Everyone’s swaying to the Sumazau - a traditional Kadazan-Dusun dance from East Malaysia.
18 | Suara MATTA
Renowned Malaysian artiste Adibah Noor
hosted the evening as the master of ceremony
where she also took to the stage belting several
numbers while at the same time entertaining
guests with games.
The eventful night included a musical
performance by the Bamboo Orchestra,
sponsored by the Sabah Tourism Board. This was
interspersed with a Le Rumba and LED Dance
Show as well as the best-dressed parade which
made the evening even more exciting.
And as with all annual dinners, there was a
lucky draw. This year, the lucky winner of the
grand prize went home with two return business
class tickets to Perth, Australia courtesy of
Malaysian Airlines.
INDUSTRY
MATTA Cruise Seminar &
Workshop 1.0
T
he waves may have already been here for
fans of the Love Boat when MATTA played
host to the first ever MATTA Cruise Seminar &
Workshop 1.0 – ‘Cruise To Profit’. Held on 29
October 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, the large-scale
programme was organised to introduce and
impart the inherent potential within Malaysia’s
cruise tourism.
Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism
and Culture and Co-Chairman of the Malaysia
Cruise Council (MCC) YB Tan Sri Dr. Ong Hong
Peng delivered his keynote speech to the 240
members in attendance.
In his welcoming speech, Organising
Chairman Mr. Rocky Kho said, “We, at MATTA took
this initiative to provide the platform to travel
agents to seriously consider cruise tourism as a
lucrative and sustainable business opportunity
for both inbound and outbound tourism. We are
confident that this kind of seminar and workshop
will be an annual B2B event, with both cruise
operators and MATTA members looking forward
to it each year.”
A thumbs up success led by YBhg. Tan Sri Dr Ong Hong Peng (centre) with MATTA Exco members and the
invited speakers.
Informative presentations and success
stories were presented during the sessions by
speakers from major and established cruise
companies such as Star Cruises, Royal Caribbean
International, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises,
Pelayaran Islamic as well as some cruise travel
agencies.
More than just learning about the emerging
seafaring tourism segment, the one day event
also raised awareness among MATTA members
about the expansive possibilities behind this very
niche industry. It is certainly one to watch out for
given the potentially lucrative returns. To propel
it further, MATTA has also set its sights on making
Malaysia the main homeport of Southeast Asia’s
cruise tourism. Time may be opportune now to
ride the wave together and make it a worthwhile
expedition for MATTA and the industry as a
whole.
Panel discussion at the seminar.
Paying close attention at the seminar.
Delivering his keynote speech, YB Tan Sri Dr Ong
Hong Peng, Secretary General of Ministry of
Tourism and Culture Malaysia (MoTAC) and CoChairman of the Malaysia Cruise Council (MCC).
Suara MATTA | 19
HIGHLIGHTS
MATTA Places Priority on Domestic
Tourism via MATTA Fair
G
race was certainly upon the Association as MATTA Fairs across the nation recorded impressive turnouts and sales in the eventful year of 2015. Buoyed by
the encouraging domestic travel offerings and with more and more local destinations warming up to the tourism agenda, it is an encouraging year on
the whole for domestic travel, especially with the support from Tourism Malaysia.
Winners of Malaysia My Dream Destination from MATTA Fair.
New Records at National MATTA Fair KL
The biggest travel fair of the country MATTA Fair
Kuala Lumpur had in September packed in all
the punches necessary to raise the temperatures
a few notches higher to boost the travel sector,
especially in the domestic destinations, over the
three high impact days.
Held from the 4th to 6th September at Putra
World Trade Centre, the travel industry was in
high spirits, quite the contrary when peered
from the lenses of the country’s economy and
its political landscape. Appearing to be almost
unscathed, MATTA Fair Kuala Lumpur recorded
impressive numbers and shall go down as among
the bests in the history of this travel fair.
Foremost on the record is its sales turnover.
Coming in at RM170 million, it stands as among
the highest ever for the Fair since inception in
1991.
Making its debut at the Fair, the Umrah Pavilion.
20 | Suara MATTA
Celebration of a job well done at MATTA had
earlier witnessed Minister of Tourism, Culture and
Environment of Sabah YB Datuk Seri Panglima
Masidi Manjun kicking off the Fair at the Opening
Ceremony on the first day. It didn’t take long
for the fair to go into high gear with six halls
occupied and more than 200 exhibitors ready to
serve the visitors from domestic to foreign travel
offerings.
Among the highlights at the three-day event
was the introduction of the “Umrah” pavilion
at Hall 1M. The inclusion of this new segment
helped boost the variety of travel packages at
the Fair. Muslim travelers eager to fulfil their holy
pilgrimage in Mecca were for the first time given
the convenience of shopping for their favourite
deal all in one location.
Another interesting treat was MATTA Fair
Buyers’ Contest which received an overwhelming
2,842 participants. Grand Prize of the Contest
went to Candy Yee Zee Pooi of Kuala Lumpur who
will be travelling to Prague, Vienna and Budapest
in the 11D9N Trafalgar sponsored trip for two.
Other than tour and travel related activities,
scheduled performances of dance and musical
repertoires were also at hand to keep the
atmosphere abuzz with excitement. This include
renowned Korean artiste Running Man’s Kang
Gary’s and Malaysia’s supermodel Amber Chia’s
appearances at the Korea’s Pavilion.
With an official visitorship of 91,664 people,
this Fair will go down into the books as one of the
most outstanding. In gratitude to the sponsors,
exhibitors, participants as well as the six media
partners of The Star, Utusan Malaysia, Tamil Malar,
China Press, Oriental Daily News and AmLeisure
Media, MATTA would like to say a big thank you.
As we prepare to keep pace with the current
momentum, let’s block out our time again for the
next MATTA Fair in KL, happening on the 11 to 13
March 2016. See you there!
UPCOMING
NATIONAL
MATTA FAIR
Domestic Tourism from Tourism Malaysia’s Perspective
By Chong Yoke Har, Deputy Director General (Strategic and Domestic), Tourism Malaysia
The growth in domestic tourism has been
steady and most encouraging in the last five
years (2010-2014), increasing at an average
double digit rate of 11.3% per annum. Though
most locals are still combining leisure trips
with VFR, it is observed that they are now
spending more on paid accommodation,
compared to the trend five years ago. Domestic
tourism spending contributed a whopping
total of RM62.1 billion to the economy in 2014.
The substantial contribution has inspired
Tourism Malaysia to dedicate efforts in
developing more attractive programmes to
stimulate travelling by domestic tourists. These
include collaboration with MATTA and its
members in offering bargains and attractive
deals during consumer fairs like MATTA Fair to
make domestic travelling a more pleasurable
and irresistible experience. Attractive deals
have been published and launched through
a tour package booklet entitled “2015 MyFest
1001 Packages”. The promotion booklet was
made available for visitors’ reference during the
recent MATTA Fair in September 2015, where
highest sales thus far have been recorded
by participating tour agencies and product
owners at the Tourism Malaysia pavilion.
Tourism Malaysia would like to take
this opportunity to commend MATTA for
the importance it has placed to popularise
domestic tourism, which should take the
centre stage now in the midst of the weak
Malaysian Ringgit and made even easier
with the numerous offers put up by industry
players collectively to entice domestic
tourists.
MATTA Fair Sabah
Suria Sabah Shopping Mall, Kota Kinabalu
3 to 5 July
MATTA Fair Johor
Summit Mall, Batu Pahat
1 & 2 August
MATTA Fair Johor
Expo@Danga City Mall, Johor Bahru
7 to 9 August
Melaka MITS (Melaka International Tourism
Show) MATTA Fair Melaka
MITC (Melaka International Trade Centre)
22 to 24 August
MATTA Fair Perak
Ipoh Parade
4 to 6 September
MATTA Fair Sarawak
Boulevard Shopping Mall, Kuching
4 to 6 September
KUALA LUMPUR
When?
11 to 13 March 2016.
Where?
Putra World Trade Centre.
Suara MATTA | 21
INDUSTRY
Business Opportunities for Members
A courtesy meeting between MATTA Exco and delegation from Japan. YBhg.
Datuk Musa Yusof, Director, Domestic Marketing Division of Tourism Malaysia,
was also present.
A memorable photo taken at the “Tourism Seminar - Discover Belgium” held
on 18 November 2015 at the Belgium Ambassador’s residence. MATTA was
represented by Honorary Secretary General, Nigel Wong and Outbound
Committee members.
Group photo at the Hong Kong Muslim Products Update Session held on 10
August 2015 with MATTA President Datuk Hj Hamzah Rahmat; MATTA Deputy
President Rohizam Md Yusoff and MATTA KL Chapter Chairman Rocky Kho
together with the delegates.
Mission accomplished at the Nepal Sales Mission on the 19 to 25 August 2015
in Kuala Lumpur.
A memorable event deserves a memorable shot. A group photo at the MAH + MATTA B2B Mart held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Honorary Secretary General of
MATTA Nigel Wong led the small delegation from MATTA.
22 | Suara MATTA
HIGHLIGHTS
MATTA in the News
An Hour with the Prime Minister
Full Refund to KK Mountain
Climbers After Quake
MATTA Launches GST Navigator
MATTA Raise Funds for KK
Mountain Guides
Exempt Visa for China Tourists
Reconsider GST on Sabah,
Sarawak and Peninsula airfares
Weak Ringgit A Real Concern
Suara MATTA | 23
DEPARTURE
What’s On in 2016?
INTERNATIONAL
29 – 31 Jan
SOUTH ASIA’S LEADING TRAVEL
SHOW (SATTE)
New Delhi, India
5 – 7 February
PTAA TRAVEL ExPO
Manila, Philippines
17 – 21 February
THAI INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FAIR
2016 (TITF)
Bangkok, Thailand
24 – 27 March
ASTINDO FAIR
Jakarta, Indonesia
13 – 15 May
WORLD TRAVEL FAIR (WTF)
Shanghai, China
18-20 May
WTM CONNECT ASIA
Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
23-25 May
WTM CONNECT CHINA
Hainan, China
09-12 June
KOREAN WORLD TRAVEL FAIR
(KOTFA)
Seoul, Korea
16-19 June
International Travel Expo (ITE)
Hong Kong
24 – 26 June
Beijing International Tourism Expo
2016 (BITE)
Beijing, China
21-23 September
Astana Leisure Fair
Astana, Kazakhstan
24 | Suara MATTA
22-25 September
JATA TOURISM ExPO
Tokyo, Japan
19-21 October
INTERNATIONALE TOURISMUSBöRSE ASIA (ITB ASIA)
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
28-29 October
WORLD ISLAMIC TOURISM SUMMIT
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
6-9 November
TAIPEI INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FAIR
Taipei City, Taiwan
MALAYSIA
4 March
Melaka Chapter AGM*
7 March
Terengganu & Negeri Sembilan
Chapters AGM*
11 to 13 March
MATTA FAIR SARAWAK
Boulevard Shopping Mall Kuching
11- 13 March
National MATTA Fair Kuala Lumpur
PWTC, Kuala Lumpur
11 to 13 March
MATTA FAIR PERAK
Ipoh Parade, Perak
19 March
Pahang, Penang &
Sabah Chapters AGM*
24 March
Kuala Lumpur Chapter AGM*
26 March
Perak Chapter AGM*
27 March
Kelantan Chapter AGM*
28 March
Sarawak Chapter AGM*
30 MARCH
JOHOR CHAPTER AGM*
31 March
Selangor Chapter AGM*
8 to 10 April
MATTA FAIR JOHOR
Expo@Danga City Mall, Johor Bahru
6 - 8 May
MATTA Fair Negeri Sembilan*
6 to 8 May
MATTA FAIR SABAH*
Suria Sabah Shopping Mall,
Kota Kinabalu
14 May
NATIONAL AGM 2016*
31 to 31 July
MATTA FAIR JOHOR*
Batu Pahat
5 to 7 August
MATTA FAIR JOHOR
Expo@Danga City Mall, Johor Bahru
19 to 21 August
MATTA FAIR MELAKA
MITC, Melaka
2 to 4 September
NATIONAL MATTA FAIR
KUALA LUMPUR
PWTC, Kuala Lumpur
2 to 4 September
MATTA FAIR PERAK*
Perak
* Date and/or venue to be announced. The above information is correct as at 25 November 2015