KUALA LUMPUR – Domestic tourism is expected to be the driving force behind Malaysia’s travel sector following the recent Matta Fair, even as the final statistics remain pending.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) President Nigel Wong said early observations pointed to “strong demand in domestic tourism,” contrasting with a more cautious outlook for international travel affected by rising costs and geopolitical instability.
“In terms of activity on the floor, domestic tourism was very popular,” Wong told Scoop, highlighting that “the domestic halls were packed throughout the three-day event.”
“Although we expect softer demand for outbound travel, we expect the domestic market to still be very robust.”
Preliminary figures suggest that between 140,000 and 150,000 visitors attended the fair at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec). However, Wong warned that total sales turnover could fall slightly short of the usual RM220 million average, citing the Middle East crisis as a factor.
“We do notice that the intent to travel is still very healthy but I could see it being muted due to a number of factors,” Wong explained, specifically noting rising airfare prices and economic uncertainty as barriers to long-haul travel.
Interest in Middle Eastern destinations remains, he added, but consumer focus has shifted toward short- and medium-haul trips, particularly within Asean, amid fluctuating flight schedules and higher ticket costs.
The 58th MATTA Fair, held from April 3 to 5, coincided with volatile global energy markets. Following the February 28 outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, repeated strikes on regional facilities disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for 20% of the world’s oil shipments, with Malaysian vessels gradually cleared for safe passage.
This instability has pushed local diesel prices up to RM6.02 per litre for the week of April 2 to 8, driving aviation fuel costs higher and affecting long-haul flight affordability.
Despite these headwinds, the fair was the largest in its history, covering 40,820 square metres and featuring 2,051 booths. A standout attraction was the record-breaking Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) pavilion, showcasing a move toward world-class exhibition standards ahead of the Visit Malaysia 2026 roadmap.
Organisers are now debriefing 332 participating organisations to finalise the fair’s performance data, with success likely hinging on whether domestic enthusiasm can counterbalance the softer international sales when full figures are released later this month. – April 7, 2026