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For all you travel junkies out there, you’ll be glad to know that MATTA Fair 2007 (I) will be held between 16th to 18th March 2007. Like previous years, the fair will be held at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), KL. During the three day event, visitors can expect attractive bargains and packages on offer.

The fair will occupy Halls 3, 2 & 1 of PWTC, with enough floorspace for over 880 Booths. The organisers are presently taking reservations from operators and exhibitors. In general, exhibitors will be categorised and organised into the various halls as follows:

Hall 1 and 2
• International packages
• Airlines
• Cruises
• NTOs

Hall 3
• Domestic
• ASEAN
• Travel related products and services
• Special category group

A nominal day entry fee (usually RM3) will be levied on all visitors. There are two entrances to the exhibition halls; Hall 3 from PWTC and Hall 1/2 from Jalan Ipoh (across the river).

Between Air Asia’s 1,000,000 ticket giveaway, the Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair, the launch of Air Asia’s budget long haul flights (FAX), and MATTA Fair 2007 (I), holiday makers are really spoilt for choice. While it is great to have so many available options, decision making becomes more difficult.

Consumers are presented with the question of whether to commit to a package now or hold out for the next fair hoping for a better deal. From experience, there’s no such thing as a ‘best deal’. Prices fluctuate depending on the market and it goes either way.

I personally feel that if you’re seriously planning a vacation, then go for the best possible deal now instead of waiting and hoping. Granted that there is the possibility of it being cheaper a month later, but it is better to confirm things in advance to avoid frustrations or headaches.

When visiting travel fairs, it is best to have an objective in mind. Don’t go in there without first knowing where you want to go. That is an open invitation to get yourself fleeced. Either that or you’ll walk out of the fair feeling frustrated.

The alternative to visiting the fair proper (which might be troublesome due to traffic jams and crowds), you can also give a call or walk into your closest travel agency. They usually have the same bargains on offer at their agency offices as they do within the exhibition itself. That way, you avoid the queues and crowd. The downside to this is that you must have already done your homework in advance and know what the individual agencies are offering in order to make a comparison.

But regardless of whether you’re making an effort to check out the fair or going through a travel agent, take your time, think things through and don’t get pressured into making a purchase from the very convincing sales personnel. As always, I wish you good luck with your travel and vacation plans.

Read the full MATTA Fair announcement.