Themed Reimagine Our Future, business events’ legacy impact and sustainability were the main topics of TriBE Assembly, further pushing the message that Sarawak is serious about 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 outcome of today’s Assembly is a proposal to the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak containing the 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 turn Sarawak into a leading destination for ecotourism and business events. The proposal is making one strong suggestion – for the government to strengthen its collaboration with the sector to develop practical and ethical policies and guidelines that will steer future business events to be more impactful and sustainable to the destination.
“The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak pledges that legacy impact and sustainability will be fully supported and will be the ethos of our business events sector,” said Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. “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. The Ministry and I pledge to drive positive community, economic and environmental developments from business events and lead the 300 delegates from TriBE Assembly as Sarawak’s business events ambassadors.”
One way to communicate the sector’s impacts and efforts are by using the International Journal of Business Events and Legacies (IJBEL) as a communication platform. The journal is the world’s first to merge business events and legacy topics in one title and the first in South East Asia on 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,” said Amelia Roziman, BESarawak’s CEO. “11 papers have been published and half are reporting on the legacies and sustainability efforts that their respective events and destination 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.”
Sarawak’s new value proposition is expected to lure and secure 1,245 business events by 2030. So far in 2022, the state has surpassed its target of 90 secured events with 94 events (104% achievement) with an estimated total economic impact of RM303 million; RM165 million from direct delegate expenditure, RM9.9 million tax revenue and 23,755 jobs for Sarawak.
Out of 94, 81 business events have been assessed with a total of 570 impacts on the sector, economy, community, environment and political governance. These events are eligible to enroll on the BESLegacy Initiative.
Tags: Business Events, Amelia Roziman, BESarawak, Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak
