KATHMANDU: Nepal successfully participated in the latest edition of the MATTA Fair held at Putra World Trade Center (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur on March 15. The three-day fair was led by Nepal Tourism Board in coordination with 8 companies from the private sector tourism industry of Nepal.
The fair provided an ideal platform for promotion of Nepal as an “exotic holiday destination for lifetime experiences” among the consumers of the Malaysia market, with fresh communication about Nepal as a destination from NTB and offer of attractive and customized tour packages from the private sector.
The Nepal Pavilion was a fusion of tradition and modern façade with wood stupa architecture as a central highlight adorned by a decorative replica of Taleju Bell on the left hand side, and an unobtrusive layout of colorful photographs displaying tourism products of the destination on the back wall. Promotional items including brochures, posters and souvenirs were distributed from Nepal Pavilion, and visuals showcasing Nepal’s tourism products were played to give the potential travelers a glimpse of the Nepal experience.
Nepal Pavilion was also visited by Ambassador of Nepal to Malaysia Udaya Raj Pandey and other officials from the Embassy, who interacted with participants.
Tourist arrival from this high-value, short haul market is growing steadily over the years with increasing frequency of connectivity in the Kathmandu-Kuala Lumpur sector. As per statistics from the Department of Immigration, tourist arrival numbers from Malaysia increased from 18,284 to 22,770, a whopping 24.5 percent increment from 2017 to 2018.
About 1.94 percent of the total tourist arrival to Nepal in 2018 was from Malaysia. The first two months of 2019 have also seen a rise in the Malaysian tourist arrival. With Malaysian outbound tourism figures estimated to reach more than 14 million by 2021, the market looks promising in every aspect. Flights between Kathmandu and Kuala Lumpur are carried on by Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and Malindo Air.
MATTA Fair is Malaysia’s premier extravaganza providing global exposure and business opportunities to reach out to the country’s holiday goers.
