MALAYSIA Convention & Exhibition Bureau’s (MyCEB) Kesatria 1Malaysia Programme, which identifies industry leaders to be tasked with attracting global meetings and conferences to Malaysia, recently appointed six new kesatria (or knights).
The addition brings the total number of kesatria to 37, and hails from various key economic sectors such as science, medical, research and innovation, identified in Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme.
Zulkefli Sharif, CEO of MyCEB, said: “Since the programme was introduced in 2012, it has generated 71 business leads, attracting an estimated 124,958 delegates and contributing an estimated RM1.4 billion (US$39.2 million) to the country’s economy.
“Of these, 39 per cent of bids were won and supported with 28 events secured, amounting to approximately 50,800 delegates and RM371 million.”
International association conferences and events secured by the kesatria for up to 2020 include International Harm Reduction Conference 2015, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association World Congress 2017 and World Federation of Hemophilia World Congress 2020.
Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, minister of Tourism & Culture Malaysia, who is also chief patron for this programme, said: “These conventions will complement the efforts of the Ministry in achieving its target of 29.4 million arrivals and RM89 billion in tourist receipts for 2015, and will also raise Malaysia’s standing on a global scale, contributing to our business tourism target of RM3.9 billion in gross national income by 2020.”
