Digital Travel Summit APAC, a leading gathering of top travel professionals across various verticals in Asia is returning for a fifth run this year, with its Perfecting Travel Personalisation central theme being delivered through new conference formats and an even stronger line-up of speakers.
The three-day conference will see eCommerce, Digital Marketing and Customer Experience leaders coming together to make strides in the biggest movement of the travel industry – Perfecting Personalisation for digital savvy travellers.
Taking place from April 20 to 22 April at the Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore, Digital Travel APAC 2020 will connect top minds from Asia’s most successful airlines, hotels, OTAs, meta-search platforms, tours and activities, car rentals, cruise lines and tourism boards. The myriad of travel verticals, coupled with a strong profile from the attending delegates will enable high-level peer-to-peer discussions throughout the event.
A turnout of over 700 travel professionals is expected for the event this year.
Personalisation at the core
Leveraging digital technologies to deliver highly personalised travel experiences continue to be the definitive key to success for travel businesses in the new decade. With this in mind, Perfecting Travel Personalisation takes centre stage at Digital Travel Summit APAC 2020.
The programme on Day 1 is focused on achieving personalisation at scale, while the future of CX (Customer Experience) takes over on Day 2.
As with previous years, the Technology Evaluation Roundtables will be held one day ahead of the conference (April 20) for travel brands to benchmark their technologies against their peers, and to meet next generation travel technologies and their providers.
Excellent takeaways
Attendees of Digital Travel Summit APAC 2020 have much to gain from the high quality discussions and actionable insights expected of the annual event. With powerhouses such as Singapore Airlines, Shangri-La, and Grab representing the speaker line-up, the audience is guaranteed to not only learn from the best of their category, but also get the unique opportunity to cross-learn from relevant case studies, all in the convenience of a single location.
New features to look forward to
Digital Travel Summit APAC 2020 will debut several fresh features, one of them being new sub-categories for the speaker panel.
A new panel focusing on Tourism Boards will join the programme, focusing on these organisations that take the lead in destination marketing and are often a key driver in increasing demand for a travel service at a given location. Tourism Boards that will share their success stories include Spain, Japan, and New Zealand – all of which are speaking at the event for the first time.
To cater to delegates looking for focused discussions on a specific area of interest, two new track sessions have been added to the conference agenda. Country clinic sessions dedicate themselves to increasingly lucrative markets such as India and Indonesia, while “How to” roundtable sessions see attendees forming small groups to engage in discussions on a set of hot travel challenges.
“We’re very excited to come back to Digital Travel in 2020. The travel industry has gone through a paradigm shift, travellers are much more tech-savvy than ever. They expect digital experiences to be incorporated into their travel experiences, so digital personalisation is more important now than ever. I think the new formats we are introducing will help travel businesses of all sectors to find the solutions they are looking for.”
– Gladys Caligagan, Conference Director, Digital Travel APAC
Event fast fact: Digital Travel APAC 2020
April 20 – 22, 2020
Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore.
Readers of TTG Asia can use the code ‘TTG20’ for 20% of prevailing rates.
Visit www.digitaltravelapac.wbresearch.com for more information. This event is organised by Worldwide Business Research, the world’s biggest large-scale conference company and part of the PLS group, one of the world’s leading providers of strategic business intelligence with 16 offices worldwide.
Qantas makes three fare classes available only on its Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP), accessible only to travel agents registered with the new programme
Signing up for QDP voids existing agency contracts with GDSs, removes financial support
Qantas Hong Kong asserts that agencies need a mindset change to see the benefits of NDC-powered bookings
Qantas faces stumbling block over NDC adoption among Hong Kong travel agents
Following in the footsteps of other flag carriers such as Lufthansa, British Airways and American Airlines, Qantas Airways has jumped on the New Distribution Capability (NDC) bandwagon with the global launch of its first-phase Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP) on August 1, 2019.
However, Qantas has hit a roadblock in its implementation in Hong Kong as more than half of the Society of IATA Passenger Agents (SIPA) membership are not onboard the programme.
According to SIPA’s chairman Larry Lo, agents have to sign up for QDP in order to access fare classes N, Q and O on Australian domestic flights. Agents that do sign up for QDP are required by the GDSs to revise their original contracts which will no longer include segment fees, thereby hurting agents’ income.
“If we were to sign the agreement, incentives offered by the GDSs, such as commercial support and (financial) benefits, would no longer be available. If we were to refuse the agreement, we would have to face a channel fee of A$17.50 (USD$12) per sector levied on Australian domestic flights. This puts us agents in a difficult position,” Lo explained.
Lo told TTG Asia that a meeting was held between SIPA and Qantas to highlight members’ concerns and convey a request to suspend the policy until the QDP is publicly launched, but it came to nought.
“Despite multiple letters sent to its Hong Kong office to express our concerns and suggestions over the last couple of months, Qantas didn’t care. We will not give up without a fight,” he said, adding that most SIPA members are against the QDP and would rather book from the Qantas website should clients request specifically for the airline.
Lo suggested that agents could also choose to exclude the three distinct fare classes from their GDS contract, as there were no incentives attached to booking these through GDSs in the first place.
When asked if this issue was unique, Lo said Qantas was the first airline to implement such a practice and that none of the other existing NDC-compliant carriers had such “limitation and unfair arrangement”.
Treading slow and cautiously
Xpert Holidays, an IATA member, is one of the Hong Kong agencies that have yet to get on QDP. Sales manager Icy Yip said the firm relies on Amadeus, which offers financial incentives that help to cover her monthly fees.
For now, her business is unaffected by Qantas’ latest distribution decision, as most of her clients favour Cathay Pacific Airways for flights to Australia. However, Yip worries that as NDC takes further root in the marketplace and airlines continue their trek towards direct sales to consumers, bypassing GDSs and the middlemen, agents have no choice but to accept change.
Another agent who has requested for anonymity, said he has adopted a wait-and-see approach, much like many of his peers.
He compared Qantas’ approach to NDC roll-out in Hong Kong with that of Lufthansa, and said that the strong resistance to QDP here could be due to Qantas’ lack of a strong local brand presence.
“Lufthansa has a strong brand positioning in Hong Kong. Perhaps Qantas has not really built such a presence here, which is crucial for agents especially in such turbulent business times,” he said.
The anonymous agent added that while the theory of NDC “makes a lot of sense, many agents just don’t fully understand what it is about”.
When contacted by TTG Asia, Qantas Airways’ general manager for Hong Kong, Wyn Li, refuted the agents’ accusations that the airline wanted its own direct channel and cease its reliance on GDSs.
Li clarified that Qantas is the only airline to-date that continues to cooperate and work with legacy systems.
Explaining the QDP, Li said the programme utilises NDC standards to feed fares, schedules and availabilities via all major GDSs, namely, Sabre (and Abacus), Amadeus, Travelport (Galileo, Worldspan, etc.) and ETerm (Travelsky), to travel agencies globally. In contrast, all other airlines product platforms have established independent intranet access, bypassing GDSs.
He said: “Travel agencies can (bypass GDSs to) establish direct links with QDP if they find it commercially viable to do so. The vast majority of our travel agency partners use GDSs to access QDP, instead of direct links which involve material costs. Most of our key agency partners have already registered and verified, while there are ongoing discussions with other travel agencies.”
A new mindset is needed
Qantas’ Li told TTG Asia that the inertia to replace traditional GDS sales with NDC-powered bookings is similar to the switch from analog to digital broadcasting, or from mobile phones using analog radio signals to smartphones.
“The analog phone is still useful for phone calls and text messages, but the smartphone can provide access to WhatsApp, WeChat and LINE,” Li said, drawing an analogy for the more consistent and richer airline content NDC standards seek to bring.
“The current CRS/GDS analog system has been around for more than 60 years. The communication structure has been very successful and is likely to remain useful for a little while. However, modern digital technology is forcing paradigm change to the distribution of all players (GDSs, airlines, hotels, etc.). The IATA proposed NDC, apart from suggesting a standard of communication, also promulgates the advancement from analog to digital format,” he elaborated.
He admitted that getting business partners to understand the NDC concept was the “most challenging aspect of the whole NDC (adoption) process”.
“How can we convince consumers and business partners to adapt to new technology when the analog TV is still working, the 2G mobile phone can still be used to make calls, and the traditional GDS system can still be used to place bookings?” he asked.
According to IATA, NDC adoption has been faster than expected.
An IATA spokesman said: “The interim target for the NDC Leaderboard airlines set at eight per cent for 2019 was achieved in September, which is a positive sign on the journey to achieving 20 per cent by the end of 2020. The NDC Leaderboard comprises 22 airlines, varying in size and weight, as of January 1, 2022.”
UOL Group’s Liam Wee Sin, and PPHG’s new CEO Choe Peng Sum at the launch of Parkroyal Collection brand
UOL Group and hotel subsidiary Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) unveiled the new Parkroyal Collection Hotels & Resorts brand yesterday (January 7), cementing their commitment towards sustainable hospitality.
Parkroyal Collection carries a strong sense of responsibility towards the environment and self with eco-friendliness, sustainability and care for overall well-being as its brand ethos.
UOL Group’s Liam Wee Sin, and PPHG’s new CEO Choe Peng Sum at the launch of Parkroyal Collection brand
Sitting under the new brand are Parkroyal Collection Pickering (previously Parkroyal on Pickering) and the latest addition to the family, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay (previously Marina Mandarin).
Liam Wee Sin, group chief executive, UOL Group, explained that the brand launch comes at a time when environmental challenges are becoming more prominent and there is a growing eco-consciousness among travellers who want to do their part to protect the Earth.
Recounting the journey from when the first seed of a green hotel product was planted a decade ago with the birth of Parkroyal Collection Pickering, Liam said: “When we developed Parkroyal on Pickering – now known as Parkroyal Collection Pickering – we knew we wanted a hotel with real green attributes, not just one (filled) with lots of plants. So, we made sure it has eco-friendly operation practices, zero-energy skygardens, 200% Green Plot Ratio, and more.”
Parkroyal Collection Pickering’s green credentials have won it many awards, including being named as one of the 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years by The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, as well as the World’s Leading Green City Hotel and Asia’s Leading Green Hotel at the World Travel Awards 2019.
“Last year, we gained full control of Marina Mandarin through the shares of Marina Centre Holdings. With UOL wholly-owning this hotel, we have the opportunity to rise above what we have done with Parkroyal Collection Pickering. While Parkroyal Collection Pickering has a lot of green on the outside, for Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, we will bring green inside,” he added.
Embarking on a year-long progressive renovation from March 2020, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay will be transformed into a garden-in-a-hotel, sporting many new features such as a 13m landscaped vertical wall flanked by raised planters, lush indoor gardens with birds’ nest-inspired pavilions, a skybridge across the atrium on level four to provide guests with a treetop experience, and more.
Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay Level 4 Atrium Birds’ Nest Pods
In terms of sustainability, the hotel will use UV-treated glass to allow in natural light, guestrooms will be fitted with water filters to discourage the use of disposable plastic water bottles, and premium bath amenities that are paraben- and cruelty-free will be provided to guests.
“The launch of Parkroyal Collection brand marks an important milestone in PPHG’s journey. This launch is exciting and timely because we are building on what Parkroyal Collection Pickering has achieved,” Liam said.
Liam said the group “will not stop at two”, and added that PPHG’s new CEO Choe Peng Sum has a mandate “to go out and find us more properties”.
Choe, who also addressed the audience at the launch, described the new brand as consumer-centric “with a sense of purpose and responsibility at heart” and which “demonstrates that sustainability and modern lifestyle can co-exist through conscious design and efforts”.
Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing region for travel and tourism, with 80% of the top fastest growing cities in the region, and contributing US$915 billion (33%) in direct travel and tourism GDP, according to a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
The Cities Report for 2019 focuses on 73 major tourism city destinations, providing estimates of the GDP and employment directly generated by the travel and tourism sector; and highlights successful initiatives, strategies and policies that have been implemented to support this growth.
Asia-Pacific emerges fastest growing region for travel and tourism, with Chinese cities like Chongqing making up half of those cities; popular tourist spot Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street in Chongqing pictured
Chinese cities continue to mature rapidly, making up five of the 10 fastest growing cities in direct travel and tourism GDP over the last decade: Chongqing, Chengdu and Shanghai ranking first, second and fourth, and Guangzhou and Shenzhen coming in eighth and tenth.
International visitor spending is usually more important to cities than it is to countries as a whole, WTTC said in a statement. Six out of the top 10 cities for international visitor spending for 2018 were in Asia-Pacific, including Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo and Shenzhen, found the study. This highlights the importance of revenues from international visitors which in some cases pay for major city infrastructure projects and services that improve the quality of life for residents, it added.
Notably, six out of the top 10 cities for domestic visitor spending are also in Asia-Pacific, and five of them are in China, with Shanghai taking the number one spot at US$79 billion, followed by Beijing at US$75 billion.
However, cities with an over-reliance on domestic or international demand can be more exposed to economic and geopolitical shocks, according to WTTC. For example, large cities which are highly reliant on domestic demand could be exposed to changes in the domestic economy.
On the other hand, cities which are more reliant on international demand and/or particular source markets may be vulnerable to external disruptions. The report highlights several cities which demonstrate a more balanced split between domestic and international demand, including two Japanese cities: Tokyo and Osaka.
The report also reveals that all but one of the 10 global cities with the highest direct travel and tourism growth over the past decade, are in emerging and developing economies, seven of which are in Asia-Pacific, such as China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Infrastructure development and prioritisation of tourism has been a key driver of travel and tourism growth. The projected trends for 2018-2028 continue in this way, with all 10 coming from emerging and developing countries, and all but one located in Asia-Pacific, for example, India, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Spotlight on Oceania
Cities in Oceania make up a large portion of their respective countries’ travel and tourism GDP, with Brisbane and Sydney making up more than 30% of Australia’s direct travel & tourism GDP, and Auckland making up over 40% of New Zealand’s.
When considering the visitor impact of these cities, Sydney maintains the most even split between domestic and international, with domestic visitors contributing 56% towards the total visitor spend, and domestic contributing 44%. Brisbane’s split is similarly balanced with domestic visitors contributing 67%, and international visitors contributing 33%.
In terms of employment, Auckland contributes the most towards its respective country’s travel and tourism direct employment, offering 36.9% of all jobs in this sector, and 9.9% of total employment in Auckland. Additionally, Sydney and Brisbane collectively contribute 32.6% of direct travel and tourism employment to Australia.
The Global Picture
With over half (55%) of the world’s population living in urban areas, which is set to increase to 68% over the next 30 years, cities have become the hubs for global economic growth and innovation, while also attracting more people who want to live and do business there.
The report reveals these 73 cities account for US$691 billion in direct travel and tourism GDP, which represents 25% of the sector’s direct global GDP and directly accounts for over 17 million jobs.
Additionally, in 2018, direct travel and tourism GDP across the cities grew by 3.6%, above the overall city economy growth of 3.0%. The top 10 largest cities for direct travel and tourism contribution in 2018 offer diverse geographic representation, with cities such as Shanghai, Paris, and Orlando sitting in the top five.
WTTC president & CEO, Gloria Guevara said: “Asia-Pacific has been, and as shown by this important research, will continue to be a crucial region for travel and tourism. We are seeing an exciting amount of growth and development in the region and there is an opportunity to create sustainable change that will translate in further benefits for the local communities.
“Achieving sustainable growth in cities requires reaching far beyond the sector itself, and into the broader urban agenda. To drive true economic impact that can translate seamlessly into social benefits, a city must engage with all stakeholders, across the public and private sector, in order to establish the cities of the future.”
Robust passenger arrivals in 2H2019, spurred by the growth in the Indian market, has helped to rebalance Phuket’s tourism market, according to a new report by C9 Hotelworks.
The Phuket Hotel Market Update showed that the launch of direct flights to Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai has boosted Indian arrivals, with year-on-year growth of 298 per cent.
Phuket’s tourism industry kept afloat by robust passenger arrivals in 2H2019: C9
In 2019, year-on-year passenger arrivals declined in 1Q (-4 per cent) and 2Q (-7 per cent) due to international economic volatility, China-US trade tensions, and a strong Thai baht. As well, longhaul travellers from Australia and European countries (led by Scandinavia, Germany, and Italy) shrank. Moreover, Chinese arrivals moved into troubled territory with a negative year-on-year growth rate of -9 per cent.
However, passenger arrivals notably regained momentum in 3Q (3 per cent) and 4Q (8 per cent). The demand came from regional Asian feeders (led by India, Malaysia, and Singapore). Overall, for the year, passenger arrivals in 2019 are forecasted to be similar to 2018, but punctuated by a 2H rising trend.
In 2019, the total number of passenger arrivals at the Phuket International Airport is forecasted to be 9.1 million, with the December year-on-year monthly 2019 figure forecasted to be up by 8 per cent.
“Looking at key hotel performance trends, the second half growth spurt in demand drove full-year market-wide occupancy to 72 per cent. Rate pressure remains intense and a challenge to RevPAR, with Thai currency appreciation set to continue in 2020,” said C9 Hotelworks’ managing director Bill Barnett.
“A key airlift factor is direct flights and diverse destinations. Comparing mainland China with 21 destinations from 22 airlines and Russia with 34 destinations from eight airlines, the number of Indian arrivals from three cities and two airlines is anticipated to see continued market penetration and upside.”
Meanwhile, the top five locations for Phuket hotel pipeline developments are Patong, Bangtao, Kamala, Nai Harn, and Kathu, according to the report. The newly opened Porto De Phuket, alongside the Central Floresta and upcoming Andamanda, are all helping to position Phuket as a lifestyle, entertainment and shopping destination, it added.
In 2020, 5,009 new keys from 21 properties will enter the island hotel supply, which is a 6 per cent increase. The majority of future pipeline developments are in upscale and midscale tiers.
Taoyuan Metro company will launch contactless payment via bank cards starting January 16, 2020 to serve passengers travelling to and from the capital city of Taipei and Taoyuan International Airport (TIA).
The tap-and-go service will be made available to holders of Visa, Mastercard, Union Pay and JCB cards and mobile devices with NFC (Near Field Communication) functions, such as Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
Taoyuan Metro’s representatives at the launch to unveil contactless payment on Taiwan’s airport metro
Those carrying JCB cards will be able to enjoy the service from June, according to Taoyuan Metro chairman Liu Kun-I.
The new service was announced last month by Taoyuan Metro at a press conference.
Taoyuan City mayor Cheng Wen-tsan said that the tap-and-go system for the rapid transit (MRT) line linking metropolitan Taipei and TIA would bring greater convenience to both domestic and international travellers.
As part of Taoyuan Metro’s efforts to apply advanced technologies to better serve passengers, the company has previously also introduced Wi-Fi networks and QR code system to streamline fare payment.
The mayor hopes to extend the contactless payment to all MRT lines in Taipei and other public transportation systems to benefit more riders.
Liu added that the company plans to introduce third-party payment and e-payment services later next year.
Why
Iya Valley is peppered with numerous surprises for the experience-hungry traveller, with local stories and historical tales waiting at every turn. The humble making and cooking of soba (buckwheat noodles) – one of Shikoku’s specialities – is one such example.
What
Deep in the valleys of Tokushima’s rugged mountains sits a quiet studio run by Tsuzuki-san, an elderly soba master who supplies the noodles to restaurants and hotels across the region.
Classes taught by Tsuzuki-san are peaceful, but at the same time, fun and even challenging. She guides participants through the soba-making process, and the workshop is followed by a meal of vegetable tempura, cold dishes, and free-flow soba. As time drew to a close for my class, Tsuzuki-san brought us from noodle stirring to a heart-stirring end with a short performance of her award-winning folk singing.
How
We participants first had to don aprons and bandanas, before Tsuzuki-san embarked on the soba-making experience. She started by demonstrating how to mill soba grains with a hand-powered millstone. We then moved on to kneading, cutting, and finally, boiling the noodles.
Although she was only able to converse in Japanese and through hand gestures, Tsuzuki-san was encouraging and good-humoured, patiently guiding us in milling and kneading the soba.
The meal that followed was simple but scrumptious, and filled me with contentment as we sat on tatami and cushions in the cosy, homely restaurant. Tsuzuki-san’s performance at the end was the cherry on top of an enjoyable afternoon.
Verdict
Ideal for smaller travel groups or even solo travellers, Atelier Tsuzuki is one of Iya Valley’s truly hidden gems that offer an indelible taste of Tokushima.
Duration: Approximately two hours Rate: 1,350 yen (US$12.30) Contact
Website: iyajiman.com
Wholesale Partners (WSP), the wholesale tours company of Chan Brothers Group of Companies, has launched the Travel Industry Staff Specials (TISS) programme offering discounted tour packages worldwide for personnel in the travel industry.
Following the launch of its white-label solution last October, WSP has created a site allowing industry professionals to book its over 1,000 tours at special rates, with different offers to be featured monthly.
Wholesale Partners pushes out Travel Industry Staff Specials programme offering discounted tour packages worldwide for travel personnel
TISS is now open for registrations for personnel from the airlines, tourism offices, hotels, car rental, cruise and travel media segments in the region.
The TISS site provides registered users with the tour itineraries, destination information, departure date, live status and prices of tours to over 100 countries worldwide.
Users can browse for tours by regions or destinations, understand the itineraries or watch the videos to have a feel of the holiday experience in the different countries.
For enquiries, email enquiry@wholesale-partners.com or log on to www.wholesale-partners.com to register for a TISS account.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is expecting 3.18 trillion baht (US$105 billion) in overall tourism revenue for Thailand in 2020, or a four per cent year-on-year increase.
This includes 2.02 trillion baht from international tourists (up three per cent) and 1.16 trillion baht from domestic tourists (up five per cent).
Thailand expects to rake in US$105 billion tourism revenue in 2020
The outlook for 2020 follows the overall tourism situation in 2019, which is estimated to generate 3.06 trillion baht (four per cent increase over 2018), comprising 1.96 trillion baht (up four per cent) from 39.77 million international tourists (also up four per cent), and 1.10 trillion baht (up three per cent) from 167 million domestic trips (up one per cent).
Thailand welcomed her 39 millionth tourist on 27 December, 2019.
In 2020, TAT is seeing positive demand from international markets, such as the CLMV countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR., Myanmar and Vietnam), Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Spain, Eastern Europe, Israel, and the US.
As well, the Chinese, Singaporean and Middle Eastern markets are showing signs of recovery. Meanwhile, arrivals from Japan, Hong Kong, Europe, Scandinavia, Australia and Latin America are expected to remain stable or show a slight growth.
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said: “TAT’s target for 2020 is based on several favourable factors, ranging from the government’s stimulus measures, TAT’s focused marketing strategies and promotions of emerging destinations, new air routes, and the positive outlook of international tourists to Thailand from key source markets.
“TAT is preparing to overcome several challenges, including the effect from the China-US trade war, the rise in consumption tax in Japan, and Brexit. The strong Thai baht, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, World Expo 2020 Dubai and stimulus visa schemes from country competitors have also been taken into consideration when laying out our tourism marketing strategies.”
The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) is pursuing legal action against the newly-established Malaysia Association Tour Agency (MATA) to stop the latter’s use of the MATA acronym.
MATTA honorary secretary-general Nigel Wong said in a statement that it has issued a letter of demand through its lawyers to MATA, citing trademark infringement, misrepresentation and the deliberate passing of MATTA’s name and goodwill.
MATTA is suing the newly-registered MATA for trademark infringement
“MATTA’s solicitors have demanded that MATA cease and desist using the infringing mark and infringing name and have demanded a public apology to be published in leading national newspapers, failing which MATTA will instruct its solicitors without any further delay to commence legal proceedings,” Wong said.
He added that MATTA has received complaints because of confusion in the marketplace over the similar-sounding acronyms, which has also resulted in misreporting in the media – a recent article in The Star incorrectly stated the name of MATA’s president as the president of MATTA.
According to the Registrar of Society (ROS) records, five of the founding and current office bearers of the newly-registered MATA are also the current office bearers of Association for Travel Agencies of Umrah & Hajj Malaysia (PAPUH). Out of the five, two are current office bearers in the Malaysia Tourism Council, Wong pointed out in the release.
On September 11, 2014, MATTA held an Extraordinary General Meeting which voted overwhelmingly to expel all five of the aforementioned office bearers for causing moral and material damage to MATTA.
MATTA is also seeking an explanation from the ROS on how the registration of MATA could have been allowed by the ROS and has also instructed its solicitors to look into this issue.
When contacted, MATA president Mohd Khalid Harun told TTG Asia that the association is “not violating anybody’s trademark” and declined to comment any further.
MATA was registered in October 2019 with ROS Selangor and announced to the public in early November 2019 when they started a membership drive.
“We’re very excited to come back to Digital Travel in 2020. The travel industry has gone through a paradigm shift, travellers are much more tech-savvy than ever. They expect digital experiences to be incorporated into their travel experiences, so digital personalisation is more important now than ever. I think the new formats we are introducing will help travel businesses of all sectors to find the solutions they are looking for.”
