SARAWAK
Above: Local culture a
big drawcard. Left: (L-R)
Kimberly Demi (SCB executive
assistant to chairman &
managing director), Amelia
Roziman (SCB general
manager of marketing &
sales), Mike Cannon (SCB
managing director), Michael
Toyad (SCB chairman), Chief
Minister Patinggi Tan Sri
Adenan Satem, and Minister
of Tourism, Arts and Culture
Amar Abang Johari.
Global spotlight
Sarawak is set to host possibly its most important conference to date with the upcoming 55th ICCA Congress
putting Kuching on the global events map.
It is no understatement to say that the
upcoming International Congress and
Convention Association (ICCA) Congress
is a game changer for the Malaysian state
of Sarawak. State capital Kuching will soon
welcome 700 delegates for four days across
November 13-16 for the annual global meeting.
ICCA president Nina Freysen-Pretorius says
the theme for this year’s conference is “the
gathering of the global ICCA tribes”.
“I find that so appropriate because aren’t we
all representative of different tribes different
cultures and different countries coming
together at the ICCA Congress,” she says.
exceeded its bid win targets, winning 59
events last year (off a target of 50), and on
track to surpass its target of 60 wins this
year. Suffice to say getting ICCA’s seal of
approval has made it a destination that can
host large international meetings in many
people’s eyes. The congress will be held
at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching,
and with Kuching offering more than 3000
accommodation rooms across 15 hotels
in the three- to five-star range it has the
infrastructure to meet expectations.
“Our aim again this year is to make sure
the educational content is of the highest
standard and that our members take away
something new when they get back home.”
Ultimately though it will be the
surrounding regions that will inspire many
ICCA delegates that stay on for pre and
post touring. The local hospitality across its
27 ethnic groups and a stunningly diverse
landscape that is home to the orangutan
are just some of the experiences on offer.
The timing couldn’t be better as the
Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) is
having a bumper year, boosted by the spike
in interest following the announcement
that it would host the 55th ICCA Congress
back in 2013. Since then Sarawak has
“Sarawak has more to offer than meets the
eye – beyond pristine jungles, elements of
adventure, and the orangutan, sits a strong
foundation that helps businesses to thrive
and expand,” says Mike Cannon, managing
director of SCB.
24 Convention & Incentive Marketing, Issue 7, 2016 www.cimmagazine.com
“The 55th ICCA Congress 2016 will set the
stage to show the world that Sarawak truly
is where ‘business meets adventure’ for
business events.”
It’s been a decade since SCB was launched
during which time they have secured
424 events that attracted almost 167,000
delegates from around the world. The Bureau
has also SCB supported 194 other events,
equivalent to almost 56,000 delegates.
“Business events was virtually uncharted
territory in Malaysia until the State Bureau
began a decade ago, an initiative that has
resulted in the positioning of Sarawak as
one of the leading second tier destinations
of the Asia Pacific region,” says Michael
Toyad, chairman of SCB.
Cannon agrees, saying the business events
sector has had much wider benefits beyond
the immediate financial boost.
“We are witnessing a revolution of
programmes, campaigns, ideas and
initiatives which create innovative
changes,” he says.