^{YBhg. Dato' Sri Dr. Anil Jeet Singh Sandhu, Deputy Chairman of Tourism Malaysia (front row, second from right) pictured with senior officials from Tourism Malaysia, Sarawak Tourism Board and the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) delegation}



KUCHING, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) Convention 2022 in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), and Business Events (BE) Sarawak is held in Kuching for the first time from the 20^th to 23^rd September with an expected arrival of over 700 TAFI members from India. This marked the third time Malaysia has become the host country for TAFI Convention, the first in 1999 followed by the second time in 2007. 
 
Today, Tourism Malaysia conducted a Business to Business Session (B2B) between Indian buyers with Malaysian sellers. 108 sellers from all over Malaysia took part in wooing the potential new clientele among more than 450 buyers from India representing more than 240 companies. The Malaysian sellers consist of 33 travel agents, 17 product owners, 37 hotels & resorts, 1 airline, 7 hospitality-related associations, 6 state representatives and 7 others.
 
With the tagline “Build Back Better”, the convention discusses sustainability, advanced greening efforts, conservation and responsible tourism during its sessions. Several specially flown speakers will be sharing insights and experiences with the participants in steering into the new world of post-pandemic. Like the rest of the world, the Indian market is growing at a steady pace and is consistently looking for newer destinations, products and experiences. 
 
“Malaysia has everything for everyone, be it an outdoor adventure, a luxurious retreat, or a shopping spree of our finest arts and crafts. We also share a lot of similarities with India in terms of culture, tradition, and cuisine, which is why Malaysia is among the favourite destinations for Indian tourists,” said Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia.
                 
Bringing forth a series of Pre & Post Tour of Malaysia’s unique attractions, Dato’ Sri Nancy also expressed her appreciation to the participating tourism associations and products, namely the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA), Batik Air, TTA Johor Tourism, Desaru Coast, Desaru Fruit Farm, Holiday Inn Johor Bharu City Center, Trinidad Suite Puteri Harbour, Ibis Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Resort World Genting, Tourism Selangor, Sunway Lagoon, Sunway Resort Kuala Lumpur, Penang Global Tourism (PGT), Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Tropical Charters Langkawi, Lexis Hibiscus, Sabah Tourism Board, and WebBeds.
 
In 2019, the Indian market contributed 735,309 arrivals (22%) to the country. Sarawak has all the pieces of a puzzle to become a much sought-after destination in the Indian market following the latest travel trend seeking ecotourism, conservation and sustainability. 

The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) with a membership of more than 1400 tour operators and travel agents account for approximately 70% of all outbound travel from India.

 
About Tourism Malaysia
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination. Since its inception, it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.


SOURCE : Tourism Malaysia

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name : Hafiz Hazin
Deputy Director
International Promotions Division (Asia/Africa)
Tel : +603 8891 8302 
Email : hafiz@tourism.gov.my  

Name : Muadz Samat
Assistant Director
Corporate Communications Division
Tel : +603 8891 8755
Email : muadz@tourism.gov.my  

--BERNAMA