Sarawak cements leadership in business events at world congress

BESarawak receives ICCA Award of Appreciation, recognising their contributions to the region’s growing industry.

PORTO, PORTUGAL, 11 NOVEMBER 2025 - Sarawak made a significant impact at the 64th International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Congress here, reinforcing its global reputation as a host and leader in "legacy-driven" business events. The success of its largest-ever delegation to the prestigious event showcased a powerful model of government-industry collaboration, thus positioning Sarawak as a benchmark for creating sustainable economic and social progress through business events.

In the competitive world of business events, a ministerial invitation to an ICCA leadership dialogue is a clear signal of a destination's strategic importance. Sarawak's presence on this stage was therefore an important moment.

Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah makes history as the first Minister in Asia to speak at ICCA Congress on government-industry collaboration.

In a historic first, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, participated in the “Dialogue between Ministers and Industry Leaders,” becoming the first minister from Asia to address an ICCA session on the crucial topic of government-industry collaboration. During the session, the Minister explained Sarawak's strategic philosophy of deploying business events through robust partnerships across various ministries.

“Long-term thinking is essential to strengthen confidence and align industry needs with national priorities,” he said.

Emphasising this philosophy, the Minister made a major announcement regarding a landmark government initiative. He revealed an upcoming plan to formalise and expand this collaborative framework. This signals an unprecedented level of government buy-in for the business events sector.

“We will be signing MoUs with 12 Sarawak ministries in December to reflect the government’s commitment to business events and strengthen the collaboration between the government and the industry. This will be the biggest government-industry partnership in Malaysia’s business events industry,” the Minister added.

This landmark government commitment is the strategic engine driving the tangible successes and international accolades that define Sarawak's new era in business events.

Sarawak delegation in Porto, Portugal.

Sarawak's international acclaim is the result of a deliberate, highly effective, and unified strategy. This approach has yielded a perfect track record in recent years, demonstrating the power of a shared vision. A key indicator of this strategy's effectiveness is Sarawak's flawless 100% bid win rate since 2021, a remarkable achievement in a highly competitive global market.

At the ICCA’s Asia Pacific Chapter meeting, Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) Chairman, Datu Hii Chang Kee detailed the strategic foundation for this success, saying: “Besides investing in high-impact and high-value topics, our success stems from the government’s strong commitment to collaboration.”

Hii further explained how this collaborative spirit is put into practice. The "legacy-driven" vision serves as a unifying principle, ensuring that every project is focused on delivering tangible, long-term value beyond the event itself.

“Every bid is backed by a unified effort across ministries, agencies, and industry partners, all aligned under Sarawak’s legacy-driven vision to create long-term benefits for communities, not just host events,” he said. This successful formula for turning vision into victory has now received formal international recognition from the industry's most respected body.

Sarawak’s innovative model is now being formally celebrated on the world stage, transforming its international identity from that of a destination to that of an industry innovator. At the Congress, BESarawak received the prestigious ICCA Award of Appreciation, a distinction that recognises Sarawak's significant contribution to the development of the Asia-Pacific business events industry.

Receiving the award, BESarawak CEO, Amelia Roziman captured the transformative impact of this journey for Sarawak.

“We are truly honoured to be recognised as a regional leader in transformative business events. These platforms have transformed Sarawak from a passive participant in the global market to an active innovator of the future. We are turning local assets of knowledge, culture, and industries into global advantages,” Amelia said.

This recognition was powerfully affirmed by ICCA’s CEO, Dr Senthil Gopinath, who lauded Sarawak's model as a global benchmark.

“The collaboration between the Sarawak Government and our industry partners through the convention bureau demonstrates how a shared vision can create measurable outcomes and meaningful impact. ICCA is proud to recognise Sarawak as it continues to grow as a capital of business events,” Dr Senthil stated.

This global validation, bestowed in front of the industry's most influential leaders, was powerfully symbolised by the very makeup of the united Sarawak delegation in attendance.

Sarawak's success at the 64th ICCA Congress sends a clear signal of its established leadership in creating meaningful, legacy-driven business events. The achievements in Porto were the result of a "whole-of-industry" approach. This principle was vividly represented by the delegation’s representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), BESarawak, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), Sarawak Arts Council, Sarawak Museum Department, and Sarawak Craft Council, along with Mayor Adam Yii (Chairman, Miri Business Events Committee), and Dr Renco Yong (Chairman, Sibu Business Events Committee).