Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia continues to prosper ahead as one Asia’s most competitive destinations to host renowned global business events. For the first half of the year, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, successfully won a total of 301 business events with an estimated 570,741 delegates comprising 208,555 international delegates and bringing in an estimated RM3.9 billion in economic impact. These events will happen between 2019 and 2028. 

Among the winning bids are the University of Scholars Leadership Symposium (USLS 2019), the 7th Asia Pacific Urban Forum (APUF 7) 2019, the 19th East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) Teachers’ Conference (ETC 2021) and the Conference of International Society of Travel Medicine (CISTM 2021).

Highlights of these four bids won include the University of Scholars Leadership Symposium (USLS 2019) which was held on 1 August 2019 that gathered a total of 1,500 delegates comprising 1,200 international delegates as well as an estimated economic impact of RM42.6 million. This is followed by the upcoming 7th Asia Pacific Urban Forum 2019 (APUF 7) on 15 October 2019 that is expected to garner 1,500 international delegates amidst 5,000 total delegates, and an estimated economic impact of RM25.2 million. The 19th East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) Teachers’ Conference (ETC 2021) will take centre stage on 24 March 2021, inviting 800 international delegates and accumulating an estimated economic impact of RM16 million. The spotlight for 19 May 2021 is on the Conference of the International Society of Travel Medicine (CISTM 2021) that is expecting to welcome over 1,600 international delegates and contributing RM37.5 million in estimated economic impact. 

For the upcoming Visit Malaysia 2020 (VM 2020), Malaysia has lined up 37 business events as of July 2019 which anticipate the convergence of more than 44,600 delegates primarily from healthcare, telecommunications, science and technology industries. Delegate experience will be amplified with a multitude of splendours - cultural, heritage, natural, geographical, historical alongside festivities and attractions throughout the year. Simultaneously, VM 2020 promises the best of Malaysia’s products and services as a compelling business events hub.

MyCEB together with its industry partners have secured an impressive record of 1,100 international business events over the last eight years comprising of international conferences, corporate meetings, incentive travels and trade exhibitions which have substantially contributed an estimated economic impact of RM8.5 billion to the country. During the same period, MyCEB provided support to 2,278 events resulting to an increase of delegate average attendance, the length of their stay and spending. This in turn directly benefited Malaysia’s local businesses and communities as well as powering the knowledge and creative economy.