Visitors vieweng domestic travel package at the MATTA FAIR at MITEC in Kuala Lumpur. .—AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah tourism players earned an impressive RM4.5mil in sales in this year’s first MATTA Fair in Kuala Lumpur.
Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit said this was a 46% increase compared to last year’s fair, affirming Sabah’s continued status as a preferred domestic travel destination.
He said a total of 43 Sabah travel agents participated in the fair, providing a diverse array of tourism offerings ranging from adventure, culture and nature to community-based tourism.
Julinus attributed the success to the dedication and active participation of Sabah’s tour and travel agencies, which reflects Sabahan camaraderie in promoting the state’s tourism industry together with STB.
During the event, the STB booth, with the theme “Explore Sabah Dulu Bah”, encouraged visitors to redeem travel rebate vouchers of up to RM100 with every purchase, requiring a minimum RM600 deposit in a single receipt.
To encourage visitors to choose community-based tourism (CBT) products, RM50 travel rebate vouchers per pax – as opposed to per package – were offered to CBT product buyers.
STB kept the booth exciting with a virtual reality experience and daily activities to attract visitors and increase retention in the booth while a survey was also conducted to study domestic consumer behaviour.
It debuted two local brands as well – Chanteek Borneo and Uinah – both of which received favourable responses.
Chanteek Borneo showcased various clothing and textile designs with traditional Sabah motifs, while Uinah introduced the health benefits of its refreshing locally crafted drink made from ingredients harvested sustainably in Sabah.
“STB continued its strong commitment to enhancing its promotional efforts in domestic and international markets, including active participation in major travel events like the MATTA Fair.
“The effort echoes the ‘Explore Sabah’ campaign leading up to Visit Malaysia 2026,” Julinus added.
He also launched the new Augmented Reality Map, available for both the Sabah map and Kota Kinabalu City map.
Users can scan a barcode on the maps to unlock more information about key attractions.
These maps offer an interactive experience, complete with helpful guidelines and animations.
The latest promotional material is part of STB’s initiatives to make exploring Sabah a more immersive, engaging and accessible experience.
Physical copies of the map were also distributed to attendees at the fair.
Currently, it is available for download from STB’s official website.
Last August, STB launched a digital careline chatbot called Avantang, which provides round-the-clock access to essential travel information and assistance.
The facility is accessible from its website, WeChat account or WhatsApp number +6019-939 2121.
