Macao was named the “International Favourite Destination” at this year’s Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair, which held its opening ceremony on Saturday, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) said in a statement. The office itself received an award for having the “Best National Tourism Organisation Booth” at the event, Malaysia’s largest tourism fair for consumers. This was the MGTO’s first time at the MATTA fair since the Covid-19 pandemic effectively grounded travel. The office used the opportunity to promote Macao as an “ideal short-haul destination for Malaysians” that boasted “East-meets-West cultural heritage, integrated resorts, [a] calendar of events and festivals, gastronomy, and more,” its statement read. [See more: Macao’s tourism officials vow to do more to woo foreign tourists] It also highlighted efforts to make the SAR more Muslim-friendly, for instance through the newly released Macao for Muslim Travelers – Halal Travel Guide, which was being distributed at the fair. Malaysia was Macao’s eighth biggest source of tourists in the first two months of this year, just behind Japan and in front of the US, according to official figures. Next week, in cooperation with MATTA, MGTO is set to welcome a delegation from Malaysia with more than ten tourism operators to attend the 13th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo.