The two companies inked a strategic partnership agreement on April 4, which will see the airline become MyCEB's preferred carrier for business events.
Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) are joining hands to attract more business events to Malaysia.
The two companies inked a strategic partnership agreement on April 4, which will see the airline become MyCEB's preferred carrier for business events.
The one-year agreement will allow MyCEB and Malaysia Airlines to collaborate in co-operative sales and marketing to brand and promote Malaysia as a preferred destination for business events.
MyCEB chief executive, Datuk Zulkefli Hj Sharif, said with Malaysia Airlines as a strategic partner MyCEB hoped to get more business events in the medical and oil/gas sectors from China, India and Indonesia.
Last year MyCEB, together with its partners, won a total of 153 international conferences, incentive groups and trade exhibition events, bringing in an estimated RM898 million (US$231 million).
However, challenges remain, among them the electronic travel registration and information (ENTRI) which outbound travel agents in China say is not user-friendly for groups visiting Malaysia.
Mint Leong, secretary general of the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) has called the process “cumbersome” as it did not allow smooth processing for large incentive or conference groups.
“Agents can only key in the details of up to five applications per unique ID. Imagine the manpower and time needed for a group of 600 delegates,” said Leong. ENTRI allows visitors from China visa-free entry for stays of not more than 15 days.
MITA has appealed to the Malaysian government to rectify the system and to keep ENTRI valid beyond the 2016 deadline since business events from China usually take six months or longer to crystallise.