Between January and September this year, Sarawak achieved an estimated RM106 million on total economic impact. This amount has contributed to RM58 million in direct delegate expenditure; collecting tax revenues of RM6.4 million and opening 8,480 jobs created within various sectors.
“What attributed to these 31 total secured business events from years 2020 to 2024 with 39,356 delegates days are the Business Events Planners Incentivised Packages,” said Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. “The packages lend extensive support which injects additional funding as well as other financial incentives to help organisers get back on their feet and continue their planning processes.”
The packages have also proven its effectiveness as business events cancellations are at a low with just 3 cancellations, leaving 95% of events ongoing under the business events calendar this year.
The Sarawak Government emphasises on bringing business events which are centred around the Sarawak’s 7 Key Focus Areas being Urban Development, Social Development, Environmental Development, Re-engineering economic growth (previously known as Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy – SCORE), Rural Transformation on Agriculture Development, Service Industry and the Digital Economy.
On another note, the event also touched on the sector’s push towards developing the corporate meetings and incentives segment, whereby Sarawak aims to increase its market share by at least 20% over the next 5 years in line with the objectives of the Sarawak Economic Action Council (SEAC). Currently, the State’s strength lies in conventions, with 80% of business derived from associations.
