Sarawak transforming in many major aspects
“It’s not just about money…. it’s the economic impact”
Chew Chang Guan
As attractive as the financial returns are from the meetings business, these are, over the long term, often far outweighed by the broader community and economic development impact the industry has.
Under the 1st Rolling Plan (2011-2012) of the 10th Malaysia Plan, the federal government through the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia allocated RM37.1 million for the implementation of 50 approved tourism projects.
In line with the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), Sarawak is undergoing numerous infrastructure improvements which would benefit the community in return.
“New roads, new transportation hubs, new shopping areas of international standard, high-tech industrial parks as well as cutting edge universities are all popping up around the state.
“More hotels are being built to meet the growing demand, particularly those that are catering for business travellers.
The plan is to improve the rates, mix and quality of hotels,” Amelia Roziman global marketing and communications director of Sarawak Convention Bureau pointed out.
From an economic perspective, meetings as well as conventions attract people who are much more likely to be decision makers and this can promote not only local business prospects but trade and investment potential as well.
“From a professional development perspective, events in any area of discipline particularly major national or international events, often attract literally the very best expertise in the world.
For the community, this means access to this level of knowledge and experience right on their doorsteps,” said AIPC’s Cameron.
“We have got excellent products here, what we need as far as the sector is concerned, is to increase education/knowledge of the people on how to look after the business event visitors versus the leisure visitors,” Cannon added.
“Business event visitors wanted every thing arranged on the spot for them because they are spending 5.7 times more than leisure travellers in terms of yield.
Different methods of treating business visitors from different countries must be practiced.
“It’s not a ‘all-in-one’ society whereby you just add water and get it straightened up. One of my visions is to set up a system to do that – educating the chain players further on the MICE sector and let them know the ‘ins and outs’ of the industry,” he said.
SCB general manager Chew Chang Guan told BizHive Weekly that China was the biggest market for the bureau now.
“They are huge in incentive and corporate meetings, and that’s where our future business tourists will come from.” He expressed SCB’s interest for the American market too apart from the current ones – Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, UK and Europe.
“Southeast Asia MICE businesses are going to increase tremendously given that more and more associations from the US are setting up their regional headquarters here in Asia.
If you are able to look at the size of the regional market, it will be China being the biggest now,” Chew highlighted.
As much as China is SCB’s biggest market, it is also its closest competitor.
“If you look at the immediate future to about three years from now, that is going to be our hardest task – persuading people from all over Europe and the US to come here. China, on the other hand, is completing 11 of its international convention centres which will defi nitely leave a negative impact on Malaysia,” commented Cannon.
Going forward, SCB’s future market would be the American market.
When asked, Cannon said the ‘value’ lies deep within.
“Everyone says America is in recession but bear in mind, there are still a lot of old money which are driving the economy forward.
“The established markets are the ones which we are targeting especially the ssociations,” he added.