MATTA Fair Sabah made its debut at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), offering members an opportunity to expand their business and boost sales.
According to Lawrence Chin, the chairman of MATTA Sabah Chapter, there were 90 booths featuring 50 exhibitors showcasing a variety of products, tour and travel packages.
The majority of participating companies offered discounted outbound tour packages, promotional airline tickets, and cruises up to 50 per cent, while the remaining 10 percent focused on local tour packages, properties, and products.
The event also presented attendees with a chance to win prizes worth up to RM40,000, including air tickets, hotel accommodations, and other exciting rewards sponsored by various companies.
Furthermore, airlines provided up to a 40 percent discount on air tickets.
MATTA Fair Sabah serves as an important source of revenue for service-related sectors in the travel and tourism Industry.
Recalling his time as chairman in 2010, MATTA president Datuk Tan Kok Liang mentioned that the fair was previously held at shopping malls, which posed space limitations.
However, he expressed his hopes for the fair to continue growing and eventually become the second national hub after Kuala Lumpur.
The national fair began with 80 booths in 1991, and the recently concluded fair in March 2023 set a new record with a total of 1,416 booths, earning its place in the Malaysia Book of Records.
Tan expressed optimism about Sabah’s potential to benefit from the BIMP EAGA integration, particularly with the impending move of Indonesia’s capital to Kalimantan and the increasing number of international direct flights to Kota Kinabalu.
The fair, launched by Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew, took place from May 19 to 21.
