KUALA LUMPUR, 11 February 2020: Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents has postponed the first edition of its MATTA bi-annual travel fair from mid- March to early May.
The organisers announced the decision last Friday confirming the MATTA Fair hosted in Kuala Lumpur will now convene, 1 to 3 May, at the World Trade Centre. MATTA organises the travel first every six months in Kuala Lumpur and also lines up city fairs across the country.
The travel agents association noted that the coronavirus crisis is causing a “massive upheaval in economies in the region.”
MATTA said forward booking are weak in the travel consumer market with customers “deferring their travel plans until the current global situation improves.
MATTA president Datuk Tan Kok Liang commented: “Although the shift in dates will not be convenient for everyone we are amazed at the level of support and encouragement that we have received from our exhibitors, sponsors and trade partners.
“History has shown that our travel industry has proven to be very resilient and that Malaysians are an adventurous and hardy lot who won’t stop travelling,” added Tan.
More than 200 exhibitors including national and state tourism organisations, travel agencies, airlines, theme parks, cruise lines and hotels book exhibition space at the two MATTA fairs held bi-annually in March and October.
Last week the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore confirmed it had shifted its annual travel fair from this month to the first week of August.