Penang MATTA Fair 2012 Eyes Over RM100 Million In Sales

GEORGE TOWN (Penang, Malaysia), March 29 (Bernama) -- The Penang Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Fair expects to rake in sales of over RM100 million (US$32.5 million) this year from RM87 million (US$28.3 million) last year. Its Penang chapter's chairman, Johari Shafie, said the Penang Matta Fair 2012 was optimistic of achieving the target due to the inclusion of several enhanced services like lucky draw prizes of up to RM500,000 (US$162,718.34) and insurance coverage by travel agents and Matta. "This year, we want to make sure customers are well-protected. It is compulsory for all travel agents under Matta to buy insurance and on top of that, Matta will also buy insurance to protect the consumers," he told a media briefing here on Thursday in conjunction with the coming fair. Also present were state Executive Councillor for Tourism and Culture, Danny Law Heng Kiang, and Malaysian Association of Hotels Penang chairman Mary Ann Harris. Johari said Matta Penang would work closely with the Ministry of Tourism and Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry to monitor the prices of travel packages to ensure consumers were not cheated in the guise of discounted packages. He said the insurance coverage by travel agents and Matta would further ensure the consumers enjoy double protection when purchasing travel packages and they could file for compensation if the prices and packages were not genuine. Earlier, Law said Matta Penang 2012 was also in line with the state government's objective in promoting tourism industry to achieve a 50 per cent contribution from services sector, especially tourism, to the state's gross domestic product by 2020 from 29 per cent currently. He said the prospects for the tourism industry in Penang were good following increasing tourist arrivals and hotel development boom from five-star to budget hotels and hotel operators investing to refurbish their premises. The three-day fair, from July 6, 2012, will be held at the Penang International Sport Arena. It is expected to attract 150,000 visitors compared with 100,000 visitors last year. The fair is expected to house 306 booths with Angel Tours Sdn Bhd as the largest exhibitor with 20 booths and Malacca as the biggest local state government representative with one pavilion. -- BERNAMA