JOHOR BARU, August 4 — The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Johor chapter is confident that travel package sales will reach RM10 million during the association’s fair starting today till Sunday at the Austin International Convention Centre (AICC) here.

Its chairman Kathryn Lee said she expected the three-day Matta Fair to attract about 12,000 visitors.

"In an effort to attract more visitors to the 34th edition of the fair, there is no charge to enter the exhibition area and view the various tour packages offered by 45 participating exhibitors.

"Visitors also have the opportunity to visit all 111 exhibition spaces provided at AICC for the Johor Matta Fair this time, involving domestic and international tourism packages.

"This time, domestic travel packages are available starting from RM350, in addition to the Umrah packages involving registered agencies,” she said during a press conference after the Johor Matta Fair opening at the AICC here today.

The event was also attended by Johor Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman K. Raven Kumar.

Lee said for the latest edition, among the exhibitors participating are the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada), Sabah Tourism Board, Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) tourism unit, Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAHB) and the Malaysian Budget Hotel Association (MYBha).

She said the fair was held to provide attractive offers for visitors at reasonable prices involving all tourism products and services offered.

"Such tourism sales exhibitions are very good for the country’s tourism industry which is currently recovering after the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

Lee urged consumers to purchase travel packages through travel agents that are licensed by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.

She cautioned that consumers in today’s world need to be careful if intending to purchase travel packages through online (social media) agents without knowing the background of travel and tour companies.

"The customers risk becoming victims of fraud.

"We don’t want a dream vacation that we have been waiting for to turn into a nightmare after our hard-earned money is deceived by the many cheap packages offered,” said Lee.