DOHA: Organised in partnership with Qatar Airways, Tourism Malaysia led a delegation to Qatar, with the aim to further strengthen Malaysia’s appeal as a preferred travel destination in the Gulf nation in a roadshow leading to Saudi’s premier travel and trade event, the Jeddah International Tourism and Travel Exhibition (JTTX) 2020 from 26 to 28 February.
Led by Mr. Shahrin Bin Mokhtar, Director of Tourism Malaysia in the Dubai office; the delegation comprised of 5 organisations from hotels and travel agents, tourism product owners, as well as representatives from Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Penang Global Tourism and the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC). The group met with local industry representatives with the goal of promoting Malaysia’s tourism offerings and highlighting the latest attractions ahead of the upcoming holiday seasons.
The roadshow began with a B2B event, which was held in Westin Doha on 23 February 2020. The exchange session kicked off with a tabletop discussion and received great response from relevant trade and travel representatives. The event was also graced with the official visit by Mr. Mohamad Shahir Bin Sabarudin, the Malaysian embassy official in Doha, with the hope to further develop the goodwill between Malaysia and Qatar. Attendees then enjoyed presentations by Qatar Airways, MHTC and Penang Global Tourism, who showcased the diverse range of exciting experiences available to travellers in the country, before breaking for lunch and networking opportunities.
“The Gulf Cooperation Council or the GCC represents a land of opportunity for the Malaysian tourism industry, and we are delighted to visit Qatar to showcase our impressive line-up of tourism offerings to the local travel trade,” said the Malaysian embassy official when commenting on the importance of the Qatari market.
“As a Muslim-majority country, our shared cultural ties make Malaysia one of Southeast Asia’s most visitor-friendly destinations for travellers from the Middle East. We are confident that this roadshow will further strengthen business ties and inspire more people here to discover our wonderful country,” he commented further.
The Middle East is seen as a key market for Malaysia, which was named the number one destination for Muslim travellers for nine consecutive years (2011–2019) by Singapore-based CrescentRating, the world’s leading authority on Halal Travel. Total tourist arrivals from West Asia stood at 309,224 in 2019 where the Qatari market recorded a number of 4,089 tourists.
The Doha roadshow offered the Malaysian delegation an opportunity to highlight the country’s visitor attractions, including Langkawi, a beautiful island renowned for its breathtaking beaches and lush greenery. Some of the island’s wonders include its soaring peaks with sweeping vistas, as well as its iconic cable car that traverses old rocks of over 550 million years.
In terms of accessibility, Qatar Airways currently operates 21 flights from Kuala Lumpur to Doha, four flights from Penang to Doha and five flights from Langkawi to Doha per week. Together, the flights have the capacity to cater to more than 9,000 passengers weekly.
This roadshow in Doha is designed to support the objectives of the Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign, which aims to attract more than 30 million tourists and approximately KD 7.4 billion (RM100 billion) in tourist receipts. BIZ TODAY MONITOR
