BALINEWSID.COM, KUALA LUMPUR — Indonesia is stepping up efforts to attract Malaysian tourists by strengthening its promotional campaign through the Malaysia Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair in Kuala Lumpur and the Wonderful Indonesia Sales Mission Malaysia 2026 in Penang.

The Ministry of Tourism participated in the MATTA Fair from Sept. 4 to 6, followed by the sales mission in Penang on Sept. 8, as part of an integrated strategy to boost awareness of Indonesian destinations and convert interest into actual travel.

Deputy Minister for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism Ni Made Ayu Marthini said the two events served complementary purposes, targeting both consumers and tourism industry players.

“MATTA Fair brings Wonderful Indonesia directly to consumers, while the Sales Mission strengthens distribution networks on the industry side,” Marthini said in a statement on Friday.

She said the combination was designed to create a more integrated promotional process, from building awareness and consideration to converting interest into trips to Indonesia.

Malaysia is one of Indonesia’s key international tourism markets, with the government targeting 3.1 million arrivals from Malaysia in 2026.

At MATTA Fair 2026, the Ministry of Tourism facilitated the participation of 10 Indonesian tourism businesses as co-exhibitors at the Wonderful Indonesia Pavilion. They represented travel agencies and tour operators, hotels and accommodation providers, tourism destination managers and transportation companies.

The participating businesses included Amerta Travel Service, Batam View Hotel, DTW Pantai Pandawa, JS Luwansa Hotel & Convention, Marianna Resort & Convention Tuktuk Samosir, Padma Hotel Bandung, Panca Wisata Travel, Pasir Putih, PT Bali Sundaram Travel and PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China.

The pavilion promoted a range of destinations, including Bali, Lombok, Samosir, Batam, Jakarta, Yogyakarta and West Java.

The Indonesian pavilion also featured local brands and activities aimed at introducing Indonesian products, culinary offerings and lifestyles to Malaysian visitors. Among the participating brands were Rochi, Lapis-lapis, Comxnaut, PIK Tourism, Project 1945, Rumah Atsiri, Stay Hoops, Terve, Tricout and Tomorrow World.

On the opening day of MATTA Fair, the Ministry of Tourism also signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia Airlines. The cooperation is aimed at strengthening Indonesia’s position as a preferred destination for Malaysian travelers through increased promotion, accessibility and travel connectivity.

The promotional campaign continued in Penang through the Wonderful Indonesia Sales Mission Malaysia 2026, which brought together around 20 Indonesian tourism businesses as sellers and approximately 20 Malaysian tourism industry players as buyers from Penang who are members of the MATTA Penang Chapter.

The Indonesian participants represented travel agencies, hotels, destination managers and other tourism-related businesses.

Marthini said the sales mission was intended to give Indonesian tourism businesses stronger access to Malaysia’s tourism distribution network, allowing Indonesian tourism products to be marketed and packaged according to the needs of Malaysian travelers.

The campaign, under the “Wonderful Indonesia – Go Beyond Ordinary” theme, also promotes a broader range of travel experiences, including destinations offering sustainable and regenerative tourism experiences.

During the sales mission, the Ministry of Tourism introduced 10 Priority Tourism Destinations and five Regenerative Tourism Destinations to Malaysian industry players.

The initiative is aimed not only at increasing the number of foreign tourist arrivals but also at expanding travel beyond major destinations, encouraging longer stays and increasing tourist spending in Indonesia.

“We want to ensure that Indonesian tourism businesses have stronger access to Malaysia’s tourism industry network, so Indonesian tourism products can be marketed and packaged more effectively for the Malaysian market,” Marthini said.

The Ministry of Tourism said it would continue working with the Indonesian Embassy and Consulates General, tourism businesses, transportation partners and Malaysian industry players to strengthen promotional efforts and support the country’s 2026 tourism targets.