Resort city in Pahang courts international MICE

PAHANG'S Bukit Gambang Resort City (BGRC), said to be the largest water theme park resort in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, has set its sights on the international MICE market to fill its inventory of event spaces.

First launched in 2009, BGRC opened a dedicated MICE centre in May, offering 10 meeting rooms and a pillarless grand ballroom that can seat 3,100 people in a banquet setting. The massive ballroom gained fame recently when it made its way into the Malaysia Book of Records as the largest pillarless ballroom in the country.

With the opening of the dedicated MICE centre, the resort city now boasts 31 event spaces including those in the Caribbean Bay Suites and Bukit Gambang Water Park Visitor Centre, and is supported by 1,866 guest rooms in Caribbean Bay Suites and the new-build Arabian Bay Resort.

BGRC’s current business mix comprises 60 per cent MICE and 40 per cent leisure, and guests are predominantly locals. But it is looking to capture more international interest.

Karen Tan, spokesperson of BGRC, said business and leisure travellers from China, India and Singapore were on its radar, and efforts to connect with these markets include participation in travel trade fairs and organisation of familiarisation trips for MICE planners.

BGRC will add 11 break-out rooms to its inventory next year, while a safari park, focused on education and conservation, will open in 2Q2013.