The Miri Business Events Committee (MBEC) paid YB Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah a courtesy visit on 24 August morning to present the latest calendar of activities for Miri and discuss matters on the proposed convention centre for the northern region of Sarawak.
MBEC’s goal is to develop Miri as an attractive business event city for international meetings, conferences, exhibitions and other business-related events of all scales. The morning began with an introduction of the Committee, where there are five sub-committees leading stakeholder, product, destination marketing, human capital, and business development; followed by a presentation of the latest 2022 calendar of activities for Miri which will include industry training, product testing, and a familiarisation trip for selected potential conference and incentive organisers.
Attracting international conventions, exhibitions and other business events to Miri will require the right infrastructure. “Miri has plenty of potential as a business events city especially with international corporations opening Asia Pacific offices in Miri and the surrounding areas”, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts.
“A new convention centre will attract more business visitors to Sarawak—at the same time, become a versatile venue for festivals, sporting and other public events”.
The Minister is encouraging more industry and non-industry players to come forward and propose new convention and exhibition topic ideas.
MBEC Chairman Adam Yii, who is also the Mayor of Miri, revealed that most of the city’s business events are being held in hotels but now require a more suitable venue to meet the rapid demand. “Miri’s value proposition would increase tenfold with a purpose-built convention centre,” said the Chairman. “The Committee is very pleased to collaborate closely with Dato Sri Abdul Karim to make Sarawak’s second convention centre a reality. We will work closely with other industries to fully utilise the centre by developing the right programming.”
In the same discussion, Business Events Sarawak’s (BESarawak) CEO Amelia Roziman added that “MBEC will draw a Miri Business Event Masterplan to navigate the growth and regulate present and future development of Miri. BESarawak will support this activity to ensure that Miri’s development is in line with the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030, where business events play a major role in achieving the strategy’s aspirations.”
Other activities for the year in Miri include a legacy workshop, Congress Certification Programme Plus workshop, #TRIBESPIRIT team building for industry partners, and launch of Ambassadors Club in conjunction with TriBE Assembly @ Miri.