Event sourcing platform 1000meetings, which expanded from China to Singapore four years ago, has opened an office in the Malaysian capital.
Its industry debut at the February 26 Kuala Lumpur showcase, in partnership with the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association, was three times the size of what was planned. The final count was 180 corporate and association buyers, and 50 exhibitors.
“We want to grow these initiatives, as nobody is doing these events and going deep. There is more leverage as Chinese companies are going to Malaysia post-lockdown. It is safe and there is strong demand,” Julien Delerue, 1000meetings’ founding and managing partner, told TTGmice.
The office in Kuala Lumpur opened in 2024, and despite expanding during the pandemic, Delerue said there has been revenue growth.
The company now has a team of 20 employees, with 13 based in China and the rest in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
Delerue shared that the 1000meetings showcase will head to Jakarta and Bangkok next, and discussions with partners and clients have begun.
“Northern Asia is also extremely attractive, and we will be planning for a showcase in several cities in 2026. We are also looking at establishing Hong Kong as a hub,” he said.
Better hotel rates and the perception of China as a safe destination post-lockdown are presenting significant opportunities for incentive travel, according to Delerue. He added that Asian meeting planners and clients are increasingly focusing on the greater Asia-Pacific region, viewed as a “safe zone with no uncertainty”, partly due to the “Trump effect”.
