TRAVEL merchants from Malaysia can sell and market their products and services directly to Chinese travellers through the Malaysia Tourism Pavilion (MTP) on Alitrip from August.
The MTP e-marketplace is the result of a strategic collaboration between Tourism Malaysia and the Alibaba Group, and will be managed and operated by Beijing Xinlian Mobile Technology (appointed by Alibaba and endorsed by Tourism Malaysia) under guidelines set by the two parties involved.
This development comes in the wake of a seminar organised by Tourism Malaysia and Alibaba Group on July 21 to share the details of the MTP with local industry players and helping them get on board the platform.
“We believe that the tourism industry can benefit greatly from the e-commerce platform to boost sales. The hotel industry, for instance, has been utilising this platform for years,” said Tourism Malaysia deputy director general (strategic & domestic) Chong Yoke Har, adding that such tools have been a key sales tool for hoteliers.
The travel products and services promoted and offered via MTP include local tour and hotel packages, shopping and dining vouchers that can be downloaded through smartphones, entrance tickets to local attractions and events, as well as local transportation and communication services.
China has always been an important market for Malaysia. Last year, tourist arrivals from China to Malaysia increased by 4 per cent, reaching 1.68 million compared to 1.61 million in 2014.
