BElong in Penang campaign steps up

The Malaysian state of Penang continues to promote its BElong campaign for business events, setting out a new stage of the strategy at Kuala Lumpur’s Connexion Conference & Event Centre (CCEC), as the country prepares to open its international borders. The BElong in Penang campaign is designed to support the Penang business events industry while also laying groundwork for the state to continue funding hybrid domestic events in the run-up to the return of international clients and events. According to Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy, Yeoh Soon Hin, in order to reclaim the trust of tourists, the state needs a strong standard operating procedure (SOP) that can ensure safety for those visiting Penang. “Resuming cross-border travel would undoubtedly aid economic recovery,” Yeoh said, adding: “Tourism is one of the most important economic drivers in Malaysia, accounting for a sizable portion of the country’s GDP.” Yeoh said the Belong Campaign was part of Penang’s vision to become a smart state while continuing to develop its digital economy through the Penang2030 plan. He hoped the campaign would lead to more organisers choosing Penang as their next preferred destination for future events. According to the CEO of PCEB, Ashwin Gunasekeran: “The campaign’s goals include sending a positive message that Penang is open for business, maintaining destination awareness and increasing destination confidence in health and safety measures for corporate events, increasing RFPs and interest in future events to be held in Penang, and increasing job opportunities in the tourism, hospitality, and business events industries.”