Kota Kinabalu: Strong domestic tourism demand helped drive a 50 per cent increase in visitor attendance at the recent Matta Fair, despite weaker international travel sales caused by ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Matta Fair Chairman Mohd Azlan Salleh Mohd Salam said attendance at the April event rose significantly from more than 25,000 previously to 37,499 visitors this year.
“Based on our calculations, attendance increased by about 50 per cent compared to before,” he said during the Matta Fair Sabah April 2026 Contest Prize Giving Ceremony, here, on Tuesday.
He said domestic travel package sales also recorded an increase of around 11 per cent, rising from about RM800,000 in 2025 to RM1.1 million this year.
According to Azlan, the improvement was driven by greater participation from the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) as well as stronger community involvement throughout the fair.
However, international travel sales declined by 11 per cent, dropping from approximately RM27 million previously to around RM23 million this year.
He attributed the decline to ongoing geopolitical conflicts affecting several international destinations, including disruptions to flight operations and a reduction in demand for Umrah packages.
“There are countries and destinations affected by the geopolitical situation and war. Because of this, Umrah package purchases have also slowed down,” he explained.
Mohd Azlan added that rising global fuel prices caused by the conflicts have also impacted the aviation sector, resulting in limited flights and higher airfare prices.
He said flights from Kota Kinabalu are becoming increasingly limited due to postponed and cancelled services, although travel within Asia remains relatively stable.
“For Asia, I think there is still no major issue, but ticket prices may increase between three and seven per cent because fuel prices have gone up,” he said.
Despite the increase in airfare costs, Mohd Azlan said travel demand for the June to August summer holiday season remains encouraging, with strong booking responses recorded for both inbound and domestic tourism sectors.
He noted that domestic travellers, particularly from Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, continue to support the local tourism industry, while travel agents also play an important role in stimulating economic activity during the fair.
Mohd Azlan said the latest Matta Fair showed notable differences compared to previous editions due to stronger community participation and expanded tourism promotion efforts.
During the event, a total of 23 visitors received main prizes through a lucky draw held during the Matta Fair in April this year.
Among the prizes sponsored by Malaysia Airlines and Firefly were flight tickets, domestic holiday packages, beauty and body treatment vouchers, buffet packages, and car rental services.
The grand prize winner, Mah Poa Fiong, won a pair of roundtrip business class tickets from Kota Kinabalu to Tokyo via Narita International Airport for two persons.
Meanwhile, another winner, Thien Chain Ping, received a pair of roundtrip economy class tickets from Kota Kinabalu to Paris via Charles de Gaulle Airport for two persons.
