The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) will stage the second edition of MATTA Connect from July 29 to 30 at the Ipoh Convention Centre in Perak, following the inaugural event held in Kuala Lumpur in April 2025.
The B2B travel marketplace will bring together buyers, sellers and tourism stakeholders from Malaysia and across South-east Asia for two days of business matching, networking, destination presentations and industry discussions. Malaysia’s minister of tourism, arts and culture, Tiong King Sing, will attend the closing dinner on July 30, where he is scheduled to deliver the keynote address.
Nigel Wong, president of MATTA, said: “Following the success of our inaugural edition last year, MATTA Connect has established itself as an important platform for tourism businesses, buyers and destination partners to forge meaningful collaborations and unlock new business opportunities.”
He added that MATTA Connect plays a strategic role in supporting Visit Malaysia 2026, while continuing to drive business matching, knowledge sharing and market expansion into 2027, strengthening the competitiveness of Malaysian travel businesses.
Wong said the minister’s attendance reflects the importance of industry-government collaboration in driving Malaysia’s tourism growth.
“The minister’s presence reflected the importance of strong industry-government collaboration in driving Malaysia’s tourism growth.”
MATTA Connect 2026 will feature structured B2B business matching sessions and a business forum covering tourism trends, digital transformation, innovation and market opportunities. Participants will include international buyers, destination management companies, airlines, hotels, attractions and travel service providers. The ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) will also participate, creating additional opportunities for cross-border collaboration across South-east Asia.
Selected semi-hosted international buyers will take part in a five-day pre-tour from July 24 to 28, visiting Perak’s tourism attractions, including Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar, the Lenggong Valley and the Royal Belum State Park.
The programme is designed to provide buyers with first-hand destination experiences before participating in scheduled business meetings, enabling them to better promote Perak and Malaysia in their respective international markets.
“Ipoh was chosen as the host city for MATTA Connect 2026 to showcase Perak’s rich tourism offerings while creating meaningful business opportunities for the industry,” said Ken Chong, organising chairman of MATTA Connect 2026.
He said the event was designed as a long-term platform to strengthen Malaysia’s tourism industry beyond Visit Malaysia 2026, while creating lasting value for MATTA members in 2027 and beyond.
MATTA Connect 2026 is supported by Tourism Perak, alongside destination partners Penang Global Tourism and the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
