Malaysia – a magnet for business events

Q: Can you explain what you will bring to your role?

“I have a strong value proposition to bring to this role with my experience from the public and private sectors, as well as my network of contacts. I strongly believe in being visible and constantly in conversation with industry stakeholders that have the potential to grow Malaysia’s business meetings and events industry. I’m keen to create partnerships with other destinations. I’m a firm believer that the pie is big enough for everyone and we should be sharing and collaborating.

“My message to the industry: ‘We are ready to be your partner in Malaysia.’”

 Q: Can you explain the role of MyCEB?

“MyCEB was established in 2009 by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Malaysia to further strengthen Malaysia’s business tourism brand and position in the international business events market. It serves as a central hub to assist meeting and event planners to bid and stage international business events in Malaysia. Specialising in securing and supporting international corporate meetings, incentive travel, association conventions, trade exhibitions and international sporting events for Malaysia, our support services are designed to assist in the bidding process, fostering government and industry collaborations, providing event support as well as consultation on products and services.

“It’s vitally important that we work together with our 34 tourism offices around the world to showcase Malaysia. No matter where our offices are, we all speak with one voice.”

 Q: How are future bookings looking?

“The momentum continues after a two-year recovery period. As of now, MyCEB stands poised to shape Malaysia's business events landscape. With 305 upcoming business events secured up to 2030, we are looking forward to welcoming nearly a million delegates.

“This not only underscores MyCEB's pivotal role in driving economic growth but also solidifies Malaysia's reputation as a magnet for international business events, promising a future brimming with innovation, collaboration and economic vibrancy.”

Q: How important is the success of the MyTripleE campaign to the business events industry?

“I believe that initiatives such as MyTripleE under the Meet in Malaysia Campaign will stimulate the industry to diversify its offerings towards the business events segment. First and foremost, the campaign is a competitive and appealing support programme to attract events to Malaysia.​

“Secondly, it helps MyCEB offer support for event marketing and promotion, speaker management and hospitality services.

“We have relaxed the criteria for event planners to access MyTripleE from 500 international delegates to just 150 to reflect the fact that organisations are having smaller, more frequent meetings. We have also reduced the requirement to have three conference days down to just two.

“We want to make Malaysia a meetings hub and we want to make it accessible and help planners host their meetings in Malaysia.

“Our prime minister is keen to attract new business to Malaysia and we have just announced visa-free entry for citizens of China and India for up to 30 days. We want Malaysia to be a meeting point for people travelling from many different places and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to enter.”

Q: What are some of the more attractive business events destinations in Malaysia that organisers should consider?

“Malaysia has a sophisticated infrastructure for events in many stunning destinations. We have 26 convention centres, with 12 located in the central region, two in Putrajaya, four in the northern region including Penang, Langkawi and Ipoh, three on the east coast and two in East Malaysia, namely Sabah and Sarawak. These venues offer a diverse range of features, including state-of-the-art facilities, picturesque surroundings and unique cultural elements, creating a rich tapestry of choices for hosting remarkable business events.”