If you thought consumer travel fairs were dying off, think again. At CruiseWorld Asia 2024, a panel of travel association leaders from Southeast Asia revealed that these events are not just surviving—they're thriving, evolving, and playing a crucial role in driving travel sales across the region.
Indonesia: The king of travel fairs
Pauline Suharno, president of the Association of Indonesia Travel Agents (ASTINDO), proudly declared, "Indonesia is the king of travel fairs." With over 70 fairs annually, including ASTINDO's biannual events in eight cities, Indonesia's travel fair calendar is packed. The government has even set a target of 200 fairs per year.
However, this abundance comes with challenges. "We saw that this travel fairs actually killing us," Suharno admitted, noting sales decreases of up to 18% during non-fair periods. To combat this, ASTINDO is becoming more selective, curating exhibitors based on their sales contributions and deal quality.
Malaysia: Quality over quantity
Nigel Wong, president of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), reported a shift in focus. "We've come to realise also from our exhibitors, that we started to focus more on adding value to branding," he said. MATTA fairs now attract up to 290,000 visitors per weekend, with sales reaching 300 million ringgit.
Wong emphasised the changing landscape: "While value is still key, people are looking now for quality of product. They're looking for experiences."
Philippines: Building momentum
The Philippine market is seeing growing interest in travel fairs. Michelle Taylan, president of the Global Tourism Business Association (GTBA), described their events as "baby" compared to their regional counterparts, but noted increasing demand, particularly for Southeast Asian and cruise travel.
Arjun Shroff, president of the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), shared their success: "This year, we did 19% more than last year. We had 284 billion million pesos sale during the travel fair."
Cruise control: Setting sail for success
Cruise packages are becoming a staple at these fairs. Suharno revealed that Indonesian cruise passengers sailing from Singapore have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels, reaching 57,000 in 2023 compared to 53,000 in 2019.
Wong noted a similar trend in Malaysia: "We've seen it develop from just a few operators selling cruise to now at the recent MATTA fair, almost every other exhibitor has some sort of cruise package available."
Pay as you play: Flexible payment options
Innovative payment schemes are driving sales across the region. Taylan highlighted the Philippines' trend of instalment payments and pre-booking options, making travel more accessible even for those without credit cards.
Indonesia takes it a step further, with Suharno explaining, "The bank partners will give the consumers the cash back. It can be like from starting from $50 Singapore dollars, up to 900 Singapore Dollars."
Digital dividends: Embracing technology
Travel fairs are going digital to boost engagement. Shroff mentioned PHILTOA's adoption of online ticket sales, while Wong reported MATTA's success with social media: "In September alone, we increased our reach to about close to 30 million."
ASEAN united: A regional vision
Looking ahead, the panellists agreed on the potential of marketing ASEAN as a unified destination. Wong summarised: "It is high time that we started marketing ASEAN as a region, because while we're doing very well in our own markets, there is a lot of untapped potential within the ASEAN region itself."
As Shroff pointed out, "Two-thirds of the world's population lives in Asia." With numbers like these, it's clear that consumer travel fairs in Southeast Asia are not just surviving—they're set to soar.