(Seated from left) Bagang, Yeoh, Wong and Ooi promoting Penang at the press conference in George Town. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
PENANG is the first official partner of Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Online.
This is part of the state’s initiative to reactivate the tourism industry, as well as Penang Tourism Master Plan’s digitalisation initiative.
State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said the tie-up with the online marketplace would enable travel agents and tour operators to quickly take advantage of new trends, especially digital space.
Yeoh thanked all MATTA members who were promoting Penang on the platform.
“It is crucial that tourism stakeholders remain creative and responsive to changes in the sector,” he said during a press conference at a hotel in George Town.
“They need to reach more markets and cater to new consumer demand while keeping costs manageable.
“This collaboration will not only benefit MATTA members but also other tourism partners like hotels and attractions,” he said.
Yeoh added that the Penang tourism and creative economy office was committed to putting all safety measures in place.
“We recently launched the Covid-19 safety accreditation programme aimed to instil confidence in travellers coming to Penang,” he said.
MATTA honorary treasurer Nigel Wong said the online platform aimed to support small and medium enterprise travel agents in terms of marketing.
“We hope to improve business opportunities, revenue and profitability.
“MATTA Online also provides an alternative for consumers to buy from a licensed platform, eliminating scammers.
“We have generated more than half a million total sales since the platform was launched about a month ago,” he said.
Also present were Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry Penang office director Jonathan Freddy Bagang and Penang Global Tourism chief executive officer Ooi Chok Yan.
