Sarawak's business event has reached RM4.95 billion since 2006

KUCHING, 23 Sept: Sarawak recorded 1,587 business events since 2006 generating an estimated economic impact of RM4.95 billion and attracting over 500,000 delegates to the state.

Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the achievement reflects the growing growth of the state's business event industry as well as international confidence in Sarawak as a destination for business events.

"These numbers tell a bigger story. It represents 20 years of industrial growth, growing local capacity and rising international confidence in Sarawak", he said at the Sarawak Business Events 20th Anniversary Dinner Gala here today.

He said that during the same period, Sarawak also recorded 1.9 million days of representation through business events organized in the state.

He said an important achievement was also achieved in 2016 when Sarawak hosted the 55th Congress of International Congresses and Conventions (ICCA) which brought together over 1,000 delegates from 60 countries.

In 2019, the Sarawak Convention Bureau was renamed as Business Events Sarawak, reflecting a broader aspiration for the role of business events in the state's economic and social development.

Abdul Karim said the approach was strengthened after COVID-19 pandemic through Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), with business events being given space to contribute to Sarawak's more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable development agenda.

"Sarawak chose to move ahead by making legacy the core of its business model, thus placing Sarawak among the earliest destinations that pursued this direction strategically", he said.

He added, in 2025, Sarawak recorded the best year in business event history with 160 events earning an estimated economic impact of RM262.8 million.

He said initiatives like AI.LEGACY, the Smart Impact Management System of Business Events, and LEGACY360 were also created to measure, understand and maximize the impact of business events.

According to him, the approach enables Sarawak to look not only at the number of events organized but also assess the resulting changes, beneficiaries and legacy left behind.

Abdul Karim said that Sarawak is now ready to step into the next phase by leveraging data, information and cooperation to guide better decisions, strengthen local industries and support the future growth of the state. -TVS