Sarawak secures RM 346.5m worth of business events

Sarawak’s business events industry has closed the year at 95 secured national and international events, with an estimated total economic impact of RM346.5m (US$73.6m). According to BESarawak this is 139% above target. The organisation has released more statistics. From 2024 until 2028, Sarawak is set to welcome over 42,000 delegates with an estimated direct delegate expenditure of RM188.3m and fetching a tax revenue of RM20.8m. As for hosted events, Sarawak hosted a total of 107 business events — a 7% increase compared to 2022. The total economic impact of these events stands at RM372m with over 45,000 delegates contributing RM202.2m to the economy. These figures are a 62% increase compared to the previous year. Speaking at the Board of Directors Appreciation Dinner hosted by BESarawak, The Honourable Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak, said: “This increase in delegate arrivals and economic impact is a sure sign that Sarawak is back to its pre-pandemic vibrancy. “Our economic achievements demonstrate that we are targeting the right business events based on the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 — and ensuring they positively impact Sarawak.” One of the Dinner’s highlights was an expression of appreciation to dedicated employees of BESarawak who boast a track record of 5 and 10 years in the bureau. Meanwhile, outgoing board members were also recognised for their significant contributions and positive influence in the business events industry. “We are glad to see that the campaign is delivering significant value to the industry, which then translates into the events that Sarawak is securing and hosting,” said Amelia Roziman, BESarawak’s CEO. “With the Board of Directors’ support, we will also ensure that opportunities are constantly created for the industry to contribute to Sarawak’s overall growth.”