KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) announced the return of the Medical Travel Media Awards (MTMA) 2023 after a two-year lapse.
MHTC chief executive officer Mohd Daud Mohd Arif said the MTMA 2023 was to celebrate the media's contribution in promoting Malaysia's healthcare travel industry.
"We recognise the media's role in growing and shaping Malaysia's reputation as a healthcare destination over the past year.
"Their help in disseminating updated information about travel restrictions has helped to increase the number of healthcare travellers following the opening of the country's borders since April 2022," he said.
He said the industry saw an encouraging number of healthcare travellers arrivals following the opening of borders in April 2022 which signified tourists' trust in Malaysia as a safe and trusted healthcare travel destination.
"It was also a key indicator for positive industry recovery and growth," said Mohd Daud in his speech at a media luncheon hosted by MHTC held here today.
For the record, he said the healthcare industry in Malaysia recorded more than RM1.2 billion in Healthcare Traveller revenue for the year 2022.
The annual awards for both local and international media will be open for submission from Feb 14.
Claimed as the first global media awards, MTMA 2023 lauds contributions of journalists, freelancers, and influencers, in sharing stories that promote medical travel in Malaysia.
Both local and international media can submit their entries starting from Feb 14 to Oct 14 to stand a chance to win cash prizes and trophies.
Winners will be announced at the Medical Travel Media Awards (MTMA2023) presentation ceremony on Dec 14.
There are 12 categories, namely the Best Print Medical Travel Report, Best Online Medical Travel Report, Best Broadcast Medical Travel Feature, Best Medical Travel Influencer, Best Medical Travel Journalist of the Year, and Best Medical Travel Editorial Team of the Year – for both Malaysian and international media.
Entries will be evaluated based on five key areas namely quality of research, quality of technique or presentations, creativity, content or headlines, as well as digital or social presence or shareability of content.
For more information on the submission of entries and MTMA2023, visit www.mhtc.org.my/mtma.
