Planners get double the support in their bid
by Irene C
February 9, 2010, Tuesday
KUCHING: Meeting planners can now get twice as much support to help them in their bid for international conventions to be held in Sarawak.Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) held a joint press conference at the Tourism Malaysia offices recently to explain how they are working together to bring more international conventions to Malaysia.
Presiding at the event was SCB chairman Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Leo Michael Toyad, who explained: “Malaysia has not yet achieved its potential with regard to this most lucrative sector of tourism, and our research shows that East Malaysia is a popular choice of international planners.”
“The Sarawak Convention Bureau was the first independent bureau to be established in Malaysia four years ago and since then has been successful in securing 91 regional and international conventions for Sarawak. MyCEB formed last year, is working collaboratively with SCB on supporting five conferences and bids for a further two conventions,” said Muhammad in a press release.
“Our two organisations have the same goal of winning more business for Malaysia, so it makes good sense to pool our resources and support when bidding overseas, and we know this will increase our chance of success in this highly competitive market.
‘The SCB already has a very high bid success rate of 70 per cent and when we add Federal support into the mix, it makes our chances of success even higher,” he added.
MyCEB chief executive officer Zulkefli Muhammad Sharif said: “We are pleased to have the experienced team at the Sarawak Convention Bureau as part of Team Malaysia to collaborate in growing the MICE industry under the 1Malaysia concept. It means that clients who choose Sarawak as their preferred venue can access Sarawak’s excellent State level support for their bid.”
One of MyCEB and SCB first joint marketing initiatives was hosting an association dinner on Jan 28 at The Tamarind Hill Restaurant Kuala Lumpur, where meeting planners and association hosts will be briefed on the Team Malaysia concept.
“We believe with MyCEB and SCB synergised partnership, it will be welcome news for clients selecting Sarawak as their Malaysian venue to learn they will also be eligible for both benefits to assist them to win and market future conventions.”
The press release listed the conferences supported by MyCEB and SCB namely 2nd Global Geotourism Conference 2010 from April 17-20; PATA Annual Meeting 2010 from April 16 to 19; 4th Global Summit on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants from Dec 1 to 3 last year; The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists International Scientific Meeting 2012 in August, 2012; and 4th Asia Pacific Congress of Pae-diatrics 2012 from Sept 12 to 16, 2012.
Some 3,500 delegates were involved in a total of 19 days, with total estimated expenditure of RM9,418,000.
For more information on services and products for MyCEB logon www.tourism.gov.my and for SCB, logon www.sarawakcb.com.
