Sarawak has unveiled more funding support to encourage locally-based business event planners and partners to hold business events in the state.
This announcement was made by Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Minister of Youth and Sports, Abdul Karim Hamzah at a hybrid event at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching last week.
Meant for Sarawak-based associations and corporate organisations, the Tribe Homegrown Package by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) provides support for conventions, corporate meetings and incentive programmes.
To qualify for financial assistance under the Conventions category, organisers must have a minimum of 100 delegates with one full-day programme held any time from May 3 to November 30, 2021.
The focus of the convention should be on the development of tourism, arts and culture in Sarawak as this support is a collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Sarawak and BESarawak to develop the local tourism, arts and culture scene via homegrown conventions.
Meanwhile, the qualification criteria for the corporate meetings category is a minimum of 30 delegates attending a minimum 1.5-day programme. For the corporate incentives category, there is a minimum of 20 delegates attending a two full-day programme and a two-night stay. The corporate incentives category also include teambuilding, workshops and company retreats.
Such efforts are being made as Malaysia’s borders remain closed and interstate travel is still not allowed.
Another incentive that was launched during the event was the Tribe Collaborate Incentivised Package for Sarawak-based industry partners to help with advertising, marketing and promotional efforts on the digital front.
“Solid marketing and promotions will make a positive impact on Sarawak’s business lead generation efforts,” said BESarawak’s acting CEO, Amelia Roziman. She added that the business events industry’s total economic impact for 2021 is set at RM 179.2 million (US$43.4 million), and a target of 60 secured business events.
Despite the pandemic, Sarawak managed to secure 95 business events in 2020, which are set to take place from 4Q2021 onwards, and translate to RM 112.9 million in direct delegate expenditure.
“The bid wins surpassed the initial target by 106 per cent which is great news. Having said that, national and international in-person events will not take place any time soon; which is why we need to put our current emphasis on hybrid and local business events first to help the business events industry restart and recover during this difficult time.”
And while homegrown events are the current focus, Amelia added that incentivised packages for national and international planners are also being revived to give better support hybrid events and fit the current planners’ needs.
