By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Nov 30: Sarawak will attempt to secure 1,245 business events by 2030 through developing additional measures that will place legacy impact and sustainability at the forefront of the sector.
According to a press release issued by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), so far in 2022, the State has exceeded its target of 90 secured events with 94 events (104 per cent achievement), with an estimated total economic impact of RM303 million; RM165 million in direct delegate expenditure, RM9.9 million in tax revenue, and 23,755 jobs for Sarawak.
81 business events were evaluated out of 94, with a total of 570 impacts on the sector, economy, community, environment, and political governance.
The main topics of today’s 3rd Business Events Tribal Meet (Tribe Assembly), themed “Reimagine Our Future”, held at a local hotel here, were the legacy impact and sustainability of business events, emphasising Sarawak’s commitment to motivating the sector to think beyond the economic returns of events.
It is also reaffirming that sustainable and legacy-driven events will be the pulling factor for national and international planners, setting Sarawak apart from other destinations.
The Assembly’s outcome is a proposal to the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) Sarawak containing a long-term strategic plan with a set of actions to assist in achieving the State government’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and transforming Sarawak into a leading destination for ecotourism and business events.
The proposal makes one strong recommendation: that the government strengthen its collaboration with the industry to develop practical and ethical policies and guidelines that will steer future business events in a direction that is more impactful and sustainable for the destination.
“The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Sarawak Sarawak pledges that legacy impact and sustainability will be fully supported and will be the ethos of our business events sector.
“Since business events are part of PCDS 2030, sustainable and legacy-driven events will be key events to achieve our aspiration of economic prosperity, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability,” MTCP Sarawak minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said in the press statement.
Furthermore, one way to communicate the sector’s impacts and efforts is to use the International Journal of Business Events and Legacies (IJBEL) as a communication platform.
The journal is the first in the world to merge business events and legacy topics in a single title, and the first in Southeast Asia to cover all business events.
The first volume of the journal was officially launched in the afternoon.
“The first issue provides excellent insights and knowledge into how global business event players are evolving and what impacts have been found until now.
“11 papers have been published and half are reporting on the legacies and sustainability efforts that their respective events and destinations have started.
“Half is already a success for a journal specific to these topics—succeeding in the first volume indicates that the journal is an effective and reliable way to document the real values of business events,” BESarawak chief executive officer (CEO) Amelia Roziman stated in the press statement.
Among others present at the event were MTCP Sarawak minister Abdul Karim, MTCP Sarawak deputy ministers Datuk Sebastian Ting and Datuk Snowdan Lawan, MTCP permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee, and BESarawak CEO Amelia. — DayakDaily
