Property Hunter Magazine Property Hunter Magazine Issue 51 - February 2014 | Page 36

/// Hot Topic MICE The tourism industry would not be complete without hosting some major international conferences and exhibitions to attract high level delegates and personalities to woo the crowd over to the state. Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB), the tourism marketing arm of Sarawak has been actively promoting Sarawak to various delegates and meeting planners around the world using the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) approach. SCB chief executive officer Mike Cannon said, “SCB organises familiarisation trips for the media and to prospective clients to Sarawak. This is to showcase the destination and the type of activities they can expect to see when they bring their event here. Those trips really provide an indepth look on the destination and its offerings. At the same time, it enables the opportunity to meet the local suppliers, check out the venues and familiarise themselves with other industry members that will assist them throughout their stay here.” He said, “We also work closely with the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) to promote Sarawak as a business events destination,” adding that other promotional events SCB is conducting include attending international business events, trade shows in Frankfurt, Germany; Barcelona; Spain, the US and Australia. “By leveraging on the Borneo Brand, Sarawak represents the land of charm and romance, of history and culture, unsullied by modern trappings yet able to marry the best of technology with its wild soul. Here, in Sarawak, the Old World charm is complemented by modern technology and corporate culture. Nowhere else on earth offers such extraordinary and efficient business capabilities coupled with the natural wonder of orang utans and 130 millionyear old rainforests,” Cannon said. He added: “The state government has a special 10-year RM42.5 million convention sponsorship fund from 2006 to 2016 from which meeting hosts can apply 36 www.PropertyHunter.com.my for additional funding support. Where the event is international, this support is in addition to the Federal support provided by MyCEB.Our focus is yield beyond the economics and we are very interested in supporting events that will bring in greater opportunities for additional research, education and trade opportunities.” “We want to win more convention bids and further promote Sarawak as a globally competitive destination for business events. Currently, we have yet to really crack the national market that traditionally accounts for the majority o