Sarawak launches Malaysia and Borneo’s first Legacy Masterplan for Business Events at IMEX Frankfurt

In light of the destination’s recent announcement on becoming Malaysia and Borneo’s first legacy capital on 12 May, Sarawak has launched the Legacy Impact Master Action Plan (Legacy MAP) 2023-2025 at IMEX Frankfurt in Germany today.

The Legacy MAP is a course of action for the next three years developed by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) alongside the Sarawak Government and consultancy group, GainingEdge, to define and drive decisions about hosting business events in Sarawak. It aims to leverage the relationship between business events and legacy impact and optimise this to contribute to Sarawak’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 goals. 

With the business events industry being 1 of the 6 key priority sectors under tourism in Sarawak’s PCDS 2030,  the Legacy MAP is carefully designed to support the key outcomes sought by the strategy which are economic prosperity, social inclusion and environmental sustainability and help business event planners create greater value when designing event programmes.

With an action plan in hand, Sarawak will pay closer attention to events that are strategically important to the community. To achieve the greatest impact, Sarawak will actively seek events that align with the PCDS 2030 and prioritise those under the strategy’s 6 economic sectors (manufacturing, mining, agriculture, forestry, tourism and services) and 7 enabling sectors (digital, innovation, education, infrastructure, utilities, transport and renewable energy).

“We are wasting no time in establishing Sarawak as the first legacy capital for business events in Malaysia and Borneo,” said The Honourable Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Sarawak’s Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts. “With Indonesia’s new capital city in development, Sarawak is ready to seize any and all opportunities. The Legacy MAP is closely aligned with the government’s development policies therefore we are positioning business events as a frontline sector to facilitate strategic collaborations and open a host of economic and social opportunities. Legacy impact is Sarawak’s unique value proposition to the world and we believe that this transformative thinking will allow the industry to enjoy greater returns on both objectives and investments”.

The Legacy MAP changes the traditional narrative about business events only contributing to Sarawak’s economy via delegate numbers and expenses. Instead, it cements the new narrative that business events — with the vast knowledge, connections and innovations it carries — can contribute to the 5 core legacy pillars of sectoral growth, community development, environmental sustainability and good governance on top of economic impact. 

A national survey conducted by BESarawak last year indicated that 93% of respondents from Malaysia’s business events industry viewed legacy as a positive move to add greater value to business events. “We have expanded our economic-based business model to include legacy because it is more sustainable as years go by,” stated Amelia Roziman, BESarawak’s CEO. “Every stakeholder group in the business events ecosystem has unique areas of interests and influence and the Legacy MAP is going to speak directly to their needs and how they can impact Sarawak’s legacy goals as well as their event goals. We aim to create value for both sides of the table – business event planners and Sarawak’s local communities. My sincerest appreciation goes to the  Sarawak Government and GainingEdge for supporting the industry throughout these years.”

Sarawak is well-versed in business events legacies having achieved numerous milestones since 2019. Some milestones include having the industry prioritised by the Sarawak Government in its development policies; hosting two ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Congresses twice in 4 years; launching the Business Events Sarawak Legacy Initiative; creating the world’s first International Journal of Business Events and Legacies; appointing 5 business events legacy ambassadors under its Business Events Sarawak Legacy Ambassador Programme and now, the Legacy Impact Master Action Plan.

Meanwhile, at IMEX Frankfurt, Sarawak launched its first standalone pavilion in the morning themed “Business Events Support Community Development” to reflect the destination’s commitment to economic and social development. Exhibiting at the “Tribe Legacy Sarawak” pavilion by BESarawak is:

1. Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (Venue)
2. Place Borneo (Professional Conference Organiser) 
3. ARC Creators (Professional Conference Organiser) 
4. CPH Travel Agencies (Destination Management Company) 
5. Pullman Kuching (Venue/Hotel); Pullman Miri Waterfront (Venue/Hotel) 
6. Hemisphere Hospitality (Venue/Hotel) 
7. The Bibber’s Tale (F&B)