Spread the love
Post Views: 1

In spite of COVID-19 and its harsh effects on the business events and travel sector, today was a cause of celebration as the latest business events performance figures were officially announced
at Business Events Sarawak by Sarawak Convention Bureau’s iconic industry gathering, Business Events Tribal Meet.Between January and September this year, Sarawak achieved an estimated RM106 million on total economic impact. This amount has contributed to RM58 million in direct delegate expenditure; collecting tax revenues of RM6.4 million and opening 8,480 jobs created within various sectors.

“What attributed to these 31 total secured business events from years 2020 to 2024 with 39,356 delegates days are the Business Events Planners Incentivised Packages,” said Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman
Hamzah. “The packages lend extensive support which injects additional funding as well as other financial incentives to help organisers get back on their feet and continue their planning processes.”

The packages have also proven its effectiveness as business events cancellations are at a low with just 3 cancellations, leaving 95% of events ongoing under the business events calendar this year.

While the economic impact is impressive, BESarawak’s Acting CEO knows that there is a deeper value to business events. “We are 68% on achieving our target this year and focusing on business events topics from Sarawak 7 key focus areas. We believe that the tourism impact, which
counts the number of delegates, is just a portion of what’s important.

Business events bring far greater values that can ultimately change our economic sectors and communities for Sarawak overall better known as legacy impact,” says Amelia Roziman.

“Legacy impact is the new mindset in the global business events sector. Our sector is about bringing vast quantities of knowledge that stimulates investments, business connections and addressing societal challenges.

Sarawak will benefit from harnessing the legacy impacts of business events.” The Sarawak Government emphasises on bringing business events which are centred around the Sarawak’s 7 Key Focus Areas being Urban Development, Social Development, Environmental Development,
Re-engineering economic growth (previously known as Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy – SCORE), Rural Transformation on Agriculture Development, Service Industry and the Digital Economy.

On another note, the event also touched on the sector’s push towards developing the corporate meetings and incentives segment, whereby Sarawak aims to increase its market share by at least 20% over the next 5 years in line with the objectives of the Sarawak Economic Action Council
(SEAC). Currently, the State’s strength lies in conventions, with 80% of business derived from associations.

Business events organisers are encouraged to speak to BESarawak about getting started on planning a business event and how to utilise the packages. Contact Donny Tan (Senior Business Development Manager, Conventions and Exhibitions) at donny@sarawakcb.com or Crystal Phang
(Business Development Manager, Corporate Meetings and Incentives) at crystal@sarawakcb.com.