Northstar

Special Feature 18 NOV-DEC 2019 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM Exciting developments and top-notch MICE offerings were the focus of this year's MBEW WORDS ALEX PALMER Malaysia Business Events Week showcases progressive momentum W hen it comes to MICE offerings, venues and infrastructure, Malaysia is ready to raise the business-events bar. That was one of the key takeaways of Malaysia Business Events Week, held on Aug 28 at Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur. Attracting approximately 220 members of the MICE industry, the day of education, networking and insight, organised by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), gave attendees an opportunity to learn how to enhance their efforts in the MICE industry and to learn how Malaysia, as a destination, could help them meet these goals. "The business events industry is growing constantly" said Datuk Zulkefli Haji Sharif, CEO of MyCEB, as he delivered the welcome remarks, "The business events industry is growing constantly. We are glad to be part of this challenging journey and to be able to produce remarkable outcomes." DATUK ZULKEFLI HAJI SHARIF, CEO, MYCEB SHARIF, CEO, MYCEB declaring that, "We are glad to be part of this challenging journey and to be able to produce remarkable outcomes often surpassing the targeted KPI." It was a sentiment captured by the event's theme this year - "Progressive Momentum" - which Mr Zulkefli said was selected to capture the growth needed to ensure "each player gives their best to business events and to the country." Highlights of MBEW MBEW, first launched in 2014, has been "a great platform to converge, communicate and debate issues that impact the future growth of the business industry and bring together industry experts to power forward to the next level." Since then, the event has grown and collectively welcomed more than 1,000 participants over that time. It was not only the fifth anniversary of MBEW, but also the 10th anniversary of MyCEB. Mr Zulkefli explained that, since the bureau's inception, his organisation had successfully secured more than 1,100 international events, generating some RM8.5 trillion in economic impact for the country. While he acknowledged that "Last year was a year of change for Malaysia," he pointed to the fact that the organisation, along with its industry partners, had secured 152 business events, highlighting events such as the Asia Oil and Gas Conference and 62nd ISI World Statistic Congress 2019, held in Kuala Lumpur a week before MBEW. Mr Zulkefli summed up how things looked from his position, saying, "For the future of business events in Malaysia, it is certainly looking bright." YB Tuan Muhammad Bakhtiar bin Wan Chik, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, echoed these sentiments as he delivered the opening speech at the event.

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