By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 19: Sarawak’s journey from the early establishment of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) in 2006 to its current status as Malaysia and Borneo’s legacy capital has been formally documented in the newly launched Sarawak Destination Legacy Report: A Decade of Transformation, unveiled at IBTM World in Barcelona.
The report highlights how nearly two decades of consistent strategy, sector-wide collaboration, and legacy-focused development have propelled Sarawak onto the international stage, cementing its reputation as one of the world’s most progressive destinations for legacy-driven business events.
According to a press statement today, the landmark publication charts key milestones in Sarawak’s transformation, detailing how the State’s long-term vision has shaped policies, strengthened partnerships, and embedded legacy outcomes into event planning and delivery.
BESarawak chief executive officer Amelia Roziman said Sarawak’s journey demonstrates what is possible when a destination commits to a clear mission and invests in sustained transformation.
“True transformation occurs when we believe in the mission, commit for the long term, focus on real value, embrace necessary disruption, build strategic partnerships, and empower convention bureaux to lead—because their leadership strengthens the entire sector,” she said during a press conference at the international trade event.
A major highlight of the report is the Legacy Impact Master Action Plan (MAP) 2023–2025, introduced to institutionalise measurable legacy outcomes across business events. BESarawak said progress has already exceeded internal targets and outpaced global benchmarks.
“Looking back, Sarawak began this journey with ambition and purpose. Today, we have transformed that ambition into real impact. We have built a legacy ecosystem, strengthened government–industry collaboration, and established a model that other destinations now look to for inspiration,” she added.
Amelia noted that Sarawak’s next phase will be driven by a new MAP from 2026 to 2030, which will leverage data and digital technology to further deepen the State’s legacy-driven ecosystem.
At IBTM World, Sarawak also hosted an intention ceremony for the adoption of the Borneo Legacy Declaration, bringing together policymakers and industry leaders from Asia and Europe to advance legacy-focused development globally. The declaration was first established during the Legacy Event Advocacy Policy (LEAP) Summit on Oct 3.
Founder of The Iceberg, James Latham, praised Sarawak’s execution. “Sarawak is a great example of adopting this declaration and turning intent into real action. The destination has shown how commitment, collaboration and long-term thinking can elevate not only a region but also inspire global partners to do the same. Sarawak isn’t just signing on, it is demonstrating what meaningful adoption looks like, and we look forward to seeing what’s next from Sarawak.”
GainingEdge executive director Gary Grimmer, consultant for the Legacy Impact MAP, said Sarawak’s achievements have exceeded expectations.
“Having consulted destinations around the world on legacy-driven events, Sarawak has performed far better than we ever expected with the Legacy MAP. They have delivered achievements we believed would only materialise after 2025. Their focus on legacy showcases the very best of the destination, demonstrating a level of teamwork and shared vision between government and industry that we rarely see,” he said.
In December, BESarawak will officially adopt the Borneo Legacy Declaration and launch the Business Events Sarawak Alliance (BESA) with 12 Sarawak government ministries, embedding the legacy ecosystem across the public sector. The ceremony will be officiated by Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Sarawak also showcased 10 validated conference case studies through the AI.LEGACY Intelligent Impact Management System, demonstrating how data-driven measurement continues to strengthen the State’s global standing in legacy-focused business events. — DayakDaily
