The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) held its first ever MATTA Membership Summit 2026 at the Sunway Putra Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on 22 January 2026. The Summit brought members from across the country for focused engagement, dialogue and collaboration on the directions of Malaysia’s travel and tourism industry.
The Summit marked a significant milestone in the MATTA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen engagement between public and private sectors for Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign. The Summit enabled open and constructive exchanges between industry players, policymakers, and MATTA leadership.
Held under the theme “Leadership, Challenges & the Future of Malaysia’s Travel Industry,” the MATTA Membership Summit 2026 underscored MATTA’s role as a facilitator and advocate for its members. The timely Summit ensures that the industry viewpoints and feedback remain central to national tourism planning and execution as Malaysia enters a critical juncture for the development and growth of the tourism industry into the future.
“Leadership in MATTA reflects the responsibility and direction of the industry when it matters most in today’s challenging times. Over the years, MATTA has earned its place as an industry leader through consistency, advocacy and action. But leadership doesn’t sit with MATTA leadership alone. By being part of MATTA, our members are leaders, contributing collectively to a stronger, more resilient industry,” said Nigel Wong, President of MATTA.
At the heart of MATTA’s leadership is TRUST. Trust that MATTA remains relevant to the industry, trust that MATTA speaks up on matters that matter, and trust that MATTA delivers real value to its members. This trust carries responsibility. A key focus during the Summit was the introduction of TRUST: Powered by MATTA a MATTA-led initiative that implements confidence, accountability, and professional standards within the industry ecosystem.
TRUST serves as MATTA’s commitment to supporting a safe, professional and sustainable tourism industry in collaboration with government agencies and industry stakeholders. It supports responsible reporting, informed information-sharing, and greater transparency, while complementing existing enforcement efforts. By promoting awareness, accountability, and collaboration between the public and private sectors,
TRUST provides a practical framework that reinforces responsible industry practices without duplicating regulatory functions.
The TRUST initiative plays a vital role in reinforcing this confidence by supporting efforts to address illegal and non-compliant activities, strengthening the value and credibility of licensed travel agents and tour operators, and safeguarding Malaysia’s reputation as a safe and trusted destination.
“The Summit is about listening. Our members are navigating real and pressing challenges including rising costs, talent constraints, digital transformation, changing traveller expectations, and regulatory complexities. These are not abstract issues; they affect daily operations and business sustainability. That is why platforms like this Summit matter. They allow MATTA to hear directly from members, to understand what is happening on the ground, and to ensure our engagement with policymakers and industry stakeholders is guided by real experience,” said Chong Yu Ken, Chairman of the MATTA Membership
Summit 2026.
The MATTA Membership Summit also reinforced the importance of collaboration in addressing enforcement, industry compliance, digital transformation, and sustainable tourism growth. In this context, MATTA reaffirmed its full support for MOTAC’s call for the return of full regulatory powers over tour vehicles. MATTA recognises MOTAC’s deep understanding of the tourism ecosystem, operational realities and stakeholder needs, and believes that centralising regulatory authority under MOTAC will enable more
consistent policies, stronger enforcement, enhanced safety standards and improved service quality for tourists. This move will further strengthen industry governance, enhance coordination with tourism players and support the sustainable growth of Malaysia’s tourism sector.
With nationwide participation, the Summit showed MATTA’s growing membership strength and its commitment to inclusive engagement across regions. Insights gathered from the Summit will help set MATTA’s future initiatives, policy engagement, and member-focused programmes.
