KUALA LUMPUR: Taiwan is set to become more popular among Malaysians as the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) today announced that country as “Asia’s Favourite Destination” for Matta Fair 2019.
Taiwan received a total of 526,129 Malaysian visitors last year.
This number is expected to increase with the deals and packages offered throughout the three-day fair, to be held from March 15 to 17 at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).
The Taiwan Tourism Bureau will have 20 booths at the fair, all showcasing the country’s varied tourist attractions.
Taiwan Tourism Bureau director Abe Chou said Taiwan has a rich and diverse cultural history, cultural landscapes, recreational resources and speciality, which are suitable for Malaysians to explore.
“Our tourism bureau has specially selected 40 towns in Taiwan to introduce to the world’s travellers,” he said during a press conference announcing Matta Fair 2019 favourite destination.
He said many activities would be held at the Taiwan Pavilion at the Matta Fair to immerse visitors into the culture and unique traditions of the country.
Taiwan has also has made a big effort in improving the Muslim travel environment, with the rise of the Muslim tourism market in Taiwan which is ranked fifth in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) category in the last Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI).
Matta vice-president (outbound) Cynthia Tan said the partnership with Taiwan Tourism Bureau in the Matta fair will be a good platform to boost demand for travel.
She added that there has been an increasing number of Taiwanese visitors to Malaysia this year, placing the country in ninth place in the Malaysian top tourist arrivals from January to September 2018.
“Recorded numbers for Taiwan tourist arrivals to Malaysia grew 20.5% to 311,140 last year, while 526, 129 tourists recorded from Malaysia to Taiwan,” she said.
She added that more airlines are expected to provide non-stop connectivity between the two nations in the near future.
