Travel packages selling fast at Sabah Matta Fair

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KOTA KINABALU: Travel packages are selling like hot cakes on the first day of Sabah Matta Fair.

With 100 operators participating at the three-day exhibition at Suria Sabah Shopping Mall, numerous deals are still up for grabs until tomorrow.

Matthewpaul Tours and Travel Sdn Bhd executive chairman Matthew Chin Sin Kui said the announcement of Star Cruises to be homeported in Kota Kinabalu in November has led to a surge in bookings from visitors.

“We have been promoting our Star Cruises packages for the past weeks via newspapers and roadshows throughout the state, and today we can see the positive response from the visitors.

“Our highlight for this Matta Fair would be our special lucky draw, where purchasers of any Star Cruise packages will get the chance to win a Proton Preve worth RM64,996, 10 units of Star Cruises free trip to Taiwan and Japan, five units of Star Cruises free trip to Singapore, Penang, Phuket and Singapore, five units of Star Cruises free trip to Penang, Phuket, Krabi and Penang, four units of Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and 80 units of tour vouchers as consolation prizes,” he said.

Matthewpaul Tours and Travel Sdn Bhd is offering as low as RM170 for Star Cruises high seas package per pax, while the four- day-three night cruise from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei and Bintulu is at RM700 and RM910, according to the size and occupancy of the cabin.

Apart from that, Matthewpaul Tours and Travel Sdn Bhd is also offering a cruise package for Valentine’s Day and School Holiday packages. All Star Cruises packages are available for booking from the beginning of this month until 30th July.

According to Chin, apart from Star Cruises packages, eco-tourism attractions in Asian countries like South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong are also among the visitor’s favourite at the opening day, yesterday.

Meanwhile, Borneo Nature Tours is highlighting three adventure packages at a special rate for this year’s Sabah Matta Fair.

Its sales and marketing support manager Serena Loy said Borneo Nature Tours is an inbound tour operator specializing in nature and adventure tour programmes in Sabah.

The company is the sole operator of the award-winning Borneo Rainforest Lodge situated inside Sabah’s largest protected lowland rainforests, Danum Valley Conservation Area.

“Our four-day-three-night Danum Valley Rainforest Adventure package starts at RM1,870 per pax, while Mountain Biking-Kiulu Countryside Ride is priced at RM280. The third highlight for this year’s Matta Fair is the full day Four Wheel Drive Expedition Tour from Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang.

“Most of our customers are from Europe, Australia, the United States of America and Japan. This is the right timing for us to promote the unique sights and sounds of the last remaining rainforest in Sabah not only to foreigners but also to our own people,” said Loy.

Borneo Rainforest Lodge is a winner of the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence Award for 2012. The award is a testament to Borneo Rainforest Lodge’s high standards and services provided for their guests.

Another participant, Hi Ha Holidays Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd made a difference in its marketing this year.

Its managing director Martin Foong introduced Japanese representatives, Mariko Murata and Shinichi Inoue wearing Japanese traditional costumes to the visitors as a gimmick to promote various tourist destinations in the country.

He said the announcement made by the Japanese government to cancel travel visa for Malaysians, starting July, was good news and something that the company should celebrate by giving special packages to Sabahans.

“This is the first time that we have a four-night tour to Tokyo or Osaka at RM3,888 all-in per pax. Meanwhile, the eight-night combo package to Tokyo and Hokkaido is at RM6,888.

“Apart from Japan, we also have three-night packages to Dubai, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, at only RM3,888 for this Matta Fair. Muslim packages are also available for various destinations,” he said.

Foong added that Hi Ha Holidays Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd is offering a number of China tours with no designated shopping points.

Apart from travel agencies, various well-known airline companies and hotels also participated in this year’s Sabah Matta Fair.