Malaysia flags yet another trade show
KUALA LUMPUR – The travel industry is scratching its head and wondering whether Asia will have yet another trade show.
Reports this week suggested Malaysia is gearing up to host a new Asia-wide travel fair.
Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai, Malaysia’s deputy tourism minister, speaking at a travel show in Kuala Lumpur, said that while many Asian countries hosted travel fairs every year, most lacked the involvement of international travel agents.
He commented that Berlin had the Internationale Tourisme Bourse (ITB) and London has its World Travel Market, while the Middle East had the Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai.
“But in Asia, we still do not have an annual travel fair that gathers all the travel agents from the region and which allows international players to meet with their suppliers in this part of the world,” said Lim.
The three-day event is yet to receive a scheduled date.
Travel industry insiders contacted by TravelMole said they were in the dark about the proposed event.
And most wonder whether the deputy tourism minister is aware that ITB Asia is coming to Singapore from October 22 to 24 next year.
Singapore was chosen after extensive research with Messe Berlin evaluating Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Macau and Bangkok as possible sites.
The first ITB Asia’s targets are 10,000 overseas delegates, and 500 exhibitors from more than 50 countries. This compares to the well-entrenched ITB Berlin’s numbers of 177,000 visitors and 11,000 exhibitors from 184 countries.
Ian Jarrett
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