TORONTO — *****************, once maintaining a strong local presence in the Toronto region, held a dinner event last week at the Prince Westin in northern Toronto to announce they’re once again targeting the Canadian market.

Dean Dacko, senior VP of marketing for *****************, was on hand to emphasize how far the once-embattled ******* has come over the past few years.

Dacko had no reservations starting his presentation off by indicating that in 2011 ***************** saw a US$2.1 billion operating loss, the single largest loss in Malaysia’s history, including both private or public sectors.

Since then the ******* has taken significant strides to regain profitability, increase efficiency and load factors, as well as expand market share. The legacy ******* posted a 87.9% load factor in August 2013, while operating 17% more flights with roughly the same number of aircraft. In 2013 ***************** increased passenger numbers by 69%, while the market itself only grew by 3%.

With a re-commitment to effective global marketing campaigns based on emotional and thematic concepts, Dacko claims that “***************** is back.”

Dacko went on to illustrate the commitment ***************** is now making within the Canadian market by announcing that the ******* will be represented in Canada by Discover the ***** Marketing. Barbara Dirnberger, who herself has a past history with *****************, is now the national manager of the *******.

Through the One ***** Alliance network, ***************** offers Canadian travellers several codeshare and transfer routes. Through the *******’s primary North American hub, LAX, it operates daily direct flights to Kuala Lumpur.

For photos of the event see www.travelweek.ca/photos/index.php?galleryID=43.