Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur continue their upward trajectory in the ICCA (International Convention & Conference Association) 2024 Country & City Rankings report, strengthening their profiles as business events destinations in the global marketplace.
Malaysia hosted 129 international association meetings, moving two places up to 31st in the global country rankings and placing ninth in the Asia Pacific region. Kuala Lumpur showed strong improvement, jumping six spots to 26th in the World City Rankings, with the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) among the venues that accommodated some of the city’s 78 international association meetings that year.
“Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur’s growing reputation reflects their compelling value proposition,” said the Centre’s general manager John Burke. “With KLIA served by 79 airlines and visa-free access for 175 countries, Malaysia provides the great connectivity that global business events demand. On top of that, we have a mature supply chain aligned with global standards, wide English proficiency and a favourable exchange rate. Combined with its rich cultural heritage and natural assets, Malaysia is a competitive choice.”
To promote the global profile of both Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur, the Centre maintains a strong partnership with the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) – an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture – regularly collaborating at international tradeshows to attract business events to the country.
Bruke also noted that as global emphasis on ESG escalates, sustainable growth will be key to ensuring the success of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and the Centre in the business events sector. He stressed the importance of industry efforts in positioning Malaysia as a sustainable business events destination.
“At the Centre, we are fully committed to setting a global benchmark in environmental responsibility and sustainability. In 2024, we achieved 100% food waste circularity through composting and strengthened our emissions reduction strategy by adopting green power via the Green Electricity Tariff (GET). We are targeting a 25 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, guided by our Net Zero Carbon Events goals. We are also on our way to ISO 20121 certification in Sustainable Event Management,” he said.
By 2030, business events are projected to contribute RM42.12 billion (U$9.9 billion) to Malaysia’s national economy.
