Celebrating 20th anniversary of BE Sarawak and its contribution to development of business events in Sarawak

It was a great pleasure for us to join last night’s gala dinner celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) at Voco hotel Kuching. The event had marked two decades of dedication, collaboration and our joint achievements in positioning Sarawak as a preferred destination for business events. Initially, Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) was established by the Sarawak Government and it was rebranded to “BESarawak” in 2019. The agency under Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP) had played a pivotal role in strengthening our state’s presence in the business events industry, both in Malaysia and on the global stage.

The evening was made even more meaningful by the presence of the former Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of BESarawak, whose leadership, commitment and contributions have helped shape the organisation throughout its 20-year journey. Their collective efforts, together with those of our industry partners, event professionals, associations and stakeholders, have laid a strong foundation for Sarawak to host high-quality international conferences, exhibitions, incentive programmes and business events that bring knowledge, investment, networking opportunities and economic benefits to our state.

As we celebrate this important milestone, we also look ahead with confidence to the next chapter of Sarawak’s business events industry. With our unique destinations, strong infrastructure, diverse cultural heritage and growing international connectivity, Sarawak is well positioned to further strengthen its reputation as a world-class business events destination. Congratulations to BESarawak on 20 remarkable years, and my appreciation to everyone who has contributed to this inspiring journey. Together, let us continue to work together in elevating Sarawak onto the global business events stage.

Sarawak has recorded a total of 1,587 business events organized locally since 2006

To date, Sarawak has recorded a total of 1,587 business events organized locally since 2006 in which it had generated an estimated economic impact of RM4.95 billion and having attracted over 500,000 delegates from throughout Malaysia and worldwide.

Such achievements reflect the growth of our business events industry over the past two decades, as well as enhanced local capabilities and international confidence in Sarawak as a preferred business events destination. The establishment of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) 20 years ago had demonstrated our government's dedicated efforts to introduce Sarawak to the world as an exciting new destination for business events.

Formerly known as "Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB)," the organization was rebranded as "BESarawak" in 2019 to reflect broader aspirations regarding the role of business events in Sarawak's development. The COVID-19 pandemic also prompted Sarawak to develop a more resilient industry model by focusing on long-term impact—or legacy—in alignment with the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.

The Right Honourable Premier of Sarawak and the Sarawak Government had introduced PCDS 2030 to build a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Sarawak; legacy-driven business events align with this same direction. Last year, we had launched "AI.LEGACY"—a Smart Business Events Impact Management System designed to measure and understand the impact generated by events—as well as "LEGACY360," a platform to strengthen the ecosystem through education, leadership, recognition, and collaboration.

Our goal is no longer merely to track the number of events organized in Sarawak, but to focus on the changes resulting from those events, who benefits from them, and the legacy they leave behind. Among Sarawak's significant achievements was winning the "Best Marketing Award" from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) in 2008, followed by securing the right to host the "55th ICCA Congress in 2016," which brought together over 1,000 delegates from 60 countries.