SarawakTourism Board is hosting the forthcoming convention of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) scheduled to take place between September 20-23.
Sarawak is a relatively new destination for the Indian market and the convention which will see participation of over 500 delegates from India is expected to increase Indian tourist arrivals in the region.
The convention will take place in Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) which is pegged as the first international purpose-built convention centre in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
“The tourist arrival numbers to Malaysia grew by 15 per cent in 2019. TAFI’s convention is a great opportunity for us to enhance Sarawak’s visibility in India and make Sarawak next destination of choice for tourism and business events in the Indian market,” said Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah during a press conference last week to mark the official announcement of the convention.
Among the exciting tribal activities planned throughout the conference are live cultural and music performances, live food demonstrations and traditional handicraft exhibition to maximise their Sarawak cultural and culinary experience during the convention.
Focusing on building a more resilient tourism industry and responsible tourism post-pandemic, TAFI is incorporating the “Build Back Better” theme to promote sustainable and responsible tourism practices, conservation and advanced greening efforts.
India ranked 5th place in terms of visitor arrivals to Sarawak in 2019, marking a significant potential for Sarawak to tap into the Indian market.
“We will be looking into bringing more arrivals to enjoy the wonders of Malaysia and its delights. Apart from our objective to instill confidence among Indians to feel safe to visit Malaysia again, we hope that this convention and business session provide a platform for the industry community to gather, exchange ideas, and return even stronger,” said Dato’ Zainuddin Abdul Wahab, Tourism Malaysia’s Director General.
TAFI has organized their convention in Malaysia twice, in 1999 in Kuala Lumpur and 2007 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. This will be the third convention that will be held in Malaysia.
Sarawak Tourism Board CEO Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor said, “We are happy to welcome the TAFI delegates to our shores soon. As we see signs of recovery, now is a crucial time to build back better and this process begins with seeing the confidence of a group of key tourism players to gather here in Sarawak.”
“Business events such as TAFI Convention 2022 are great platforms to initiate change, motivation and collaborations,” expressed Amelia Roziman, Business Events Sarawak’s CEO. “TAFI’s collaboration with STB and Tourism Malaysia is an exemplary strategy for developing the Indian travel market in Malaysia, and the convention will be a powerful catalyst in bridging the gap between India and Malaysia.”
Meanwhile, Ajay Prakash, President of TAFI said, “Sarawak is a relatively unexplored destination for the Indian traveller. We anticipate that after the convention, our members will be inspired to promote tourism to this beautiful province since it can be a great venue for destination weddings, family travel and corporate events.”
“We deeply appreciate the support given by Sarawak Tourism Board, Business Events Sarawak, Tourism Malaysia and our Official Carrier, Malaysia Airlines,” he added.