Anak Sarawak Appreciation Night 2011 - Front left to right: Mrs. Jill Henry (CEO of Sarawak Convention Bureau), YABhg Puan Sri Ragad Waleed Alkurdi Taib (Chief Minister’s wife), YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud (Honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak), YB Dato’ Sri Dr. Muhd. Leo Michael Toyad Abdullah (Chairman of SCB)
KUCHING, 12 November: A much anticipated event of the year, the 5th Anak Sarawak Appreciation Award (ASAA) 2011 acknowledges the contribution of convention hosts to the growth of Sarawak’s meetings industry. In addition to the award ceremony, the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) celebrated its 5th year anniversary with a special unveiling of their new corporate imagery.
A total of 48 conference bids were secured for 2011of which 35 were able to be present to receive their award. These conferences are set to bring in over 20, 000 delegates generating RM 45, 080,000 in direct delegate expenditure.
Among the conferences secured was the 9th World Congress of Chinese Medicine (WCCM) in 2012 set to bring in over 1,000 specialists, contributing RM 7.7 million and the International Hydropower Association Congress (IHAC) in 2013 that will attract over 600 delegates and contribute RM 2.1 million in delegate expenditure.
The 5th ASAA 2011, graced by the Honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak, YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, and his wife YABhg Puan Sri Ragad Waleed Alkurdi Taib, saw the great hall of the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) transformed into a magical rainforest setting to suit the “Rainforest Magic- Homecoming Warriors” theme. A different take on the popular ‘Alice in Wonderland’ story, local cultural elements and traditional folklore were infused to create a unique storyline, with colourful characters coming to life.
Themes from previous years included: Oscar Night (2007), James Bond (2008), Phantom of the Opera (2009), The Egyptian Night (2010). The theme selection for this year was due to the Bureau’s 5th year anniversary to highlight a journey that centres on ones heritage and roots.
The event was sponsored by BCCK and jointly supported by Pullman Kuching, Four Points by Sheraton, Riverside Majestic Hotel and Grand Margherita Hotel, who graciously hosted accommodation for the ASAA recipients.
In his speech, YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak and guest-of-honour for the night emphasised, “The State had recognized the need for a specialist MICE marketing agency and thus established the first independent Convention Bureau in Malaysia. Now in its 5th year, the Sarawak Convention Bureau has successfully positioned Sarawak as a competitive MICE destination globally and with the change in logo and corporate branding, Sarawak is set to further strengthen its global positioning while staying true to its traditions and history. “
YB Dato’ Sri Dr. Muhd. Leo Michael Toyad Abdullah, Chairman of SCB added, “Without the strong support of the Sarawak State Government and local conference hosts, the ASAA would not have been made possible. It is a proud moment to see Kuching make it as a competitive MICE destination internationally entering the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)’s City Rankings for the first time.”
SCB celebrated its 5th year anniversary with the launch of their new corporate imagery. Since its inception in 2006, SCB has secured 180 bid wins for conferences to Sarawak, which are expected to bring in RM 189 million in direct delegate expenditure to the State. Furthermore, The Bureau has also won industry recognition for its destination marketing efforts which have been recognised as world’s best practice, winning 9 international destination marketing and promotion awards in Los Angeles, Berlin, Macau, Cannes, and Vienna to name a few.
Mrs. Jill Henry, CEO of SCB comments, “We’ve come a long way from when we started with a small team of nine in 2006, to an 18 strong member team that represents SCB in two Cities today. We have learnt to think and act differently to promote our destination and all our team are committed to giving their full support to ensure our client’s meetings are a success.”
After the presentation of the ASAA Awards, the Chief Minister presented the first “Anak Sarawak Ambassador Award” to acknowledge an individual’s special contribution by recommending multiple medical events to be held in Sarawak.
The award night concluded with guests finally taking to the dance floor to cap-off a night of ‘Rainforest Magic’.
