MalaysianUpdates

Tag: #BusinessEventsSarawak

  • Sarawak to Host 1,000 Delegates at SEA Tourist Guides Conference in Sibu

    Sarawak to Host 1,000 Delegates at SEA Tourist Guides Conference in Sibu

    Sarawak is set to welcome 1,000 delegates from across Southeast Asia at the 3rd Southeast Asian Tourist Guides Conference 2026, taking place from 13 to 15 October 2026 at the Kingwood Hotel in Sibu. Following the success of the inaugural conference in Kuching in 2024, this year’s event, held in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, aims to strengthen regional guiding standards while positioning Sarawak as a premier destination for impact-driven business events. Organised by the Sarawak Tourist Guides Association in collaboration with the Malaysian Tourist Guides Council and supported by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), the conference will focus on addressing industry challenges and enhancing collaboration among tourism frontliners in Southeast Asia.

    Under Sarawak’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, the state targets a 7.5% annual growth in visitor arrivals by 2030. Achieving this requires not only attracting tourists but ensuring high-quality experiences. Tourist guides, as cultural ambassadors and storytellers, play a critical role in delivering authentic and impactful visitor experiences. However, the profession faces new challenges, including the rise of digital and AI-driven travel tools, evolving visitor expectations, and a shortage of qualified guides.

    The Honourable Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Deputy Minister for Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, emphasised the importance of quality experiences alongside visitor growth, stating that tourist guides are the frontline in shaping how Sarawak is understood and remembered. The conference will provide a dedicated platform for professional development, while accelerating the training of Registered Regional Specific Tourist Guides and Sarawak Park Guides, ensuring a strong and future-ready talent pipeline.

    Edwin Lim, Honorary Chairman of the Sarawak Tourist Guides Association, highlighted the growing demands on tourist guides in a digital world and the importance of regional collaboration to elevate the profession. Sibu was chosen as the host city to promote inclusive tourism development, creating opportunities and distributing the benefits of tourism across Sarawak. Jason Tan Chin Foo, Acting CEO of BESarawak, added that business events today must deliver impact, and this conference strengthens regional networks, fosters high-value tourism, and positions Sarawak as a legacy-driven business events hub in Malaysia and Borneo.

    Delegates will also engage in an immersive outdoor learning experience, including cultural exchanges and community-based tourism activities, offering firsthand insight into preserving cultural identity and delivering authentic visitor experiences.

    For more information about the 3rd Southeast Asian Tourist Guides Conference 2026, visit https://www.sktga.org/.

  • Sarawak Strengthens National Collaboration to Advance Impactful Business Events

    Sarawak Strengthens National Collaboration to Advance Impactful Business Events

    Sarawak is reinforcing its commitment to strengthening collaboration within Malaysia’s business events ecosystem as part of its long-term development agenda. The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak recently reaffirmed its support for business events organisers across the country, highlighting that stronger national partnerships will play a crucial role in achieving the goals outlined in Sarawak’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).

    The message was emphasised during Business Events Sarawak’s (BESarawak) Ramadan engagement session in Kuala Lumpur, which formed part of a broader initiative to deepen industry collaboration and strengthen ties with national stakeholders. The engagement series aims to expand future bid pipelines, foster stronger partnerships with event organisers across Malaysia and position business events as a strategic platform that drives long-term economic and social impact.

    The timing of the engagement is particularly significant as Sarawak enters the final phase of its development roadmap under PCDS 2030. As the state moves toward the final stretch of the strategy, collaboration with partners from across Malaysia will be essential in transforming strategic plans into tangible outcomes that benefit industries, communities and the broader national economy.

    Sarawak builds stronger ties with Malaysia’s industry, discussing on how to expand current collaborations to support PCDS 2030.

    Representing the Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Deputy Minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan emphasised that the ministry remains committed to supporting organisations interested in bringing impactful business events to Sarawak. He noted that through Business Events Sarawak, the state continues to provide strong support and resources to organisations across the country that seek to host conferences, exhibitions and other high-value business events in the region.

    According to Jason Tan Chin Foo, Acting Chief Executive Officer of BESarawak, collaboration has long been the foundation of Sarawak’s success as a business events destination. He explained that through its legacy impact initiatives and comprehensive support programmes for event organisers, BESarawak aims to strengthen industry contributions while fostering partnerships that create meaningful and lasting legacies for Sarawak, Malaysia and the wider region.

    Among the initiatives introduced is the Academic Mobility Programme, a newly launched platform designed to encourage universities to organise study tours and technical visits to Sarawak. The programme aims to strengthen the link between academic research and local development priorities by providing opportunities for students, researchers and academic institutions to engage directly with Sarawak’s industries, communities and development sectors.

    By bridging academia with industry, the initiative supports Sarawak’s broader vision of positioning itself as the “Legacy Capital of Business Events” in Malaysia and Borneo. The programme also reflects the state’s long-term strategy of ensuring that business events generate meaningful knowledge exchange, innovation and sustainable development outcomes beyond the events themselves.

    As Sarawak continues to strengthen its position in the regional business events landscape, collaboration with national partners will remain a key pillar in ensuring that the sector delivers lasting economic, social and intellectual impact for Malaysia.

  • Sarawak Government Formally Implements Legacy Impact Initiatives in Collaboration with BESA

    Sarawak Government Formally Implements Legacy Impact Initiatives in Collaboration with BESA

    The Sarawak government has taken a major step in strengthening the business events sector with the official adoption of the Borneo Legacy Declaration and the launch of the Business Events Sarawak Alliance (BESA) during the Sarawak Business Events Forum. This initiative positions business events as strategic tools for delivering long-term policy outcomes and sustainable development across the state. The Borneo Legacy Declaration, formed during the Legacy Event Advocacy Policy (LEAP) Summit in October 2025, unites 36 policymakers and industry leaders from countries including Malaysia, Australia, Korea, the Philippines, the UK, and the US to champion legacy-driven events that foster sustainable economic growth.

    BESA will serve as a collaborative platform connecting Sarawak’s government ministries with BESarawak to leverage business events for positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes aligned with the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030. Starting in 2026, ministries will host and participate in national and international business events, prioritizing homegrown events through structured qualification processes. The platform also offers capacity-building programmes to enhance legacy impact advocacy among government agencies.

    The Honorable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah signs the Borneo Legacy Declaration.

    The Honorable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, representing the Premier of Sarawak, highlighted the sector’s success, noting a 100% event bidding success rate and the growth of 72 homegrown events, including the Borneo International Water & Wastewater Exhibition & Conference and International Energy Week. Deputy State Secretary Datu Hii Chang Kee emphasized that the sector’s achievements result from strategic planning and a robust ecosystem, underscoring the importance of government-industry collaboration for future growth.

    Amelia Roziman, CEO of BESarawak, hailed the government’s adoption of a legacy impact strategy as a landmark move, reinforcing Sarawak’s focus on sustainable and inclusive development in line with the state’s 13th Malaysia Plan (2026–2030). This development plan prioritizes high-impact investments in infrastructure, renewable energy, digitalization, human capital, and rural development, alongside strengthening key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, and services, ensuring long-term prosperity for the state.

  • Amelia Roziman Makes History as the First Asian to Be Appointed as a Trustee of The Iceberg

    Amelia Roziman Makes History as the First Asian to Be Appointed as a Trustee of The Iceberg

    Amelia Roziman, Chief Executive Officer of Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Asian and the only Malaysian appointed as a Trustee of The Iceberg, a leading global authority dedicated to championing the legacy impact of business and professional events. Her appointment not only strengthens Asia’s representation in the global conversation on legacy-driven business events but also reinforces the region’s growing influence in shaping sustainable impacts for communities, economies, and the environment. This honour follows closely after Amelia received The Iceberg Excellence Award on 2 October 2025, further cementing her as one of the most influential voices in the international business events arena.

    In expressing her gratitude, Amelia described the role as both a personal achievement and a collective milestone for Asia’s business events community. She emphasised that The Iceberg’s mission aligns seamlessly with Sarawak’s long-term vision and her own dedication to creating meaningful, measurable legacies through business events. With nearly two decades of leadership experience, she has consistently advocated for the transformative potential of business events, highlighting their ability to generate real social, economic, and environmental impact. Amelia noted that she intends to continue championing Asia’s growth by drawing from Sarawak’s success and the values cultivated within its business events ecosystem.

    Founder of The Iceberg, James Latham, praised Amelia’s appointment, describing her as an exceptional addition to the Board. He underscored that The Iceberg is built upon inclusivity and global representation—qualities Amelia embodies through her leadership in advancing legacy-driven business events. Latham also noted her strong government-backed efforts in elevating the industry beyond its traditional role as a visitor economy driver, positioning her contributions as invaluable not only to Sarawak and Malaysia but to the global community.

    Amelia’s influence in the industry is well-established. Since 2006, she has played a pivotal role in shaping Malaysia’s business events landscape, leading Sarawak to win 29 destination marketing awards and earning 10 professional accolades. Among her most notable achievements is becoming the first Asian woman inducted into the prestigious Events Industry Council (EIC) Hall of Leaders in 2023. As she steps into her new role, she joins a distinguished Board of Trustees—including Caroline MacKenzie, James Latham, Martin Sirk, Sarah Fleming, Ben Hainsworth, Geneviève Leclerc, Oscar Cerezales, and Gregg Talley—who collectively guide The Iceberg’s development as a charitable trust and oversee its governance and strategic direction.

    Amelia’s appointment marks a significant moment for Asia’s business events community, underscoring the region’s growing leadership on the global stage and reaffirming Sarawak’s position as a progressive, legacy-driven destination.