Curtin University and Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) signed a Memorandum of Agreement to establish the International Journal of Business Events and Legacies.
Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak and the Sarawak Research Society signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) respectively as strategic partners to expand the journal’s reach and visibility across multiple professional networks.
Prior to this, just nine journals were found to have studied individual aspects of business events. Based on the research, none have reviewed business events as a whole inclusive of corporate meetings and corporate incentives. Sarawak is changing this game that would make the International Journal of Business Events and Legacies the first research publication in South East Asia to focus on business events and the first in the world specific to business events and legacies.
The International Journal of Business Events and Legacies will address pressing contemporary issues on business events and legacies featuring strategies, case studies and viewpoints in which the industry’s capabilities on event planning and delivery are highlighted. The journal will be a convenient resource for industry students, practitioners, researchers and policymakers to understand the relationship between hosting business events and correlating activities such as economics, entrepreneurship, hospitality, management, marketing and tourism.
Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts and Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, believes that documenting the impacts of business events on paper justifies the industry’s significance to the region. “With this journal, more governments will recognise why this industry is the way forward for destination development,” said the Minister.
The Minister also added that “we are proving to the world again that Sarawak is a strong and capable destination driven by the knowledge economy. We have the power to advocate for legacy impact at greater levels, with real knowledge behind them.”
Sarawak has been flashing on the radar of the global business events community since the destination began advocating for legacy impacts in 2016. Sarawak’s prestige grew more so in the last couple of years when destinations were looking for inspiration on how to rebuild their economy and society through business events. Many white papers have concluded that business events are fundamental to stimulating growth and pandemic recovery.
“Business events can be as big as any other industry — even a sector itself,” said BESarawak’s CEO, Amelia Roziman.
“Business events are rich in many ways and we want the journal to reflect that wealth. Association and incentive events are superb economic drivers that deliver cutting-edge knowledge, solutions and innovation to drive social, sectoral, environmental and political developments.”
Amelia added that BESarawak will be signing an MOU with the International Convention & Congress Association (ICCA) at IMEX Frankfurt this year. “Global partnerships with ICCA and similar associations will give the journal added international recognition.”
The International Journal of Business Events and Legacies is backed by international associations such as the Professional Convention Management Association and the International Congress & Convention Association as well as local and national support from the Association of Sarawak Inbound Agencies, Malaysian Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers, and Malaysian Association of Travel & Tour Agencies Sarawak Tourism Federation, Business Events Council Malaysia and Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau.
Currently, there are 44 members from 15 countries who will share their resources in the making of the journal. These members are from all corners of the world — Malaysia, Singapore, UK, Italy, France, Spain, Australia, China, USA, Oman, Libya, Serbia, Iran, Greece, Switzerland. International collaboration is expected to increase in the future.
