A national effort to raise the professionalism of local associations plus a new exhibition centre are improving Kuala Lumpur’s meetings appeal
Having the best air connections to regional and international destinations, as well as being the headquarters of many national associations, it is no surprise that Kuala Lumpur gets a large share of the association meetings business.
Alan Pryor, general manager, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre revealed that the centre saw a four per cent increase in total income to 19 per cent generated from the associations meetings market in 2017, compared with the previous year.
He elaborated: “2018 is a very strong association meetings year for us with 16 international, five regional and 11 national meetings confirmed. This amounts to an estimated RM115 million (US$29.5 million) in economic impact to the country, bringing over 65,000 delegates and visitors to Kuala Lumpur.”
Pryor expressed optimism that the associations meeting sector will continue to grow, as it has been “boosted by the recent establishment of (both) the Business Events Council of Malaysia and Malaysian Society of Association Executives (MSAE)”.
The Business Events Council of Malaysia is an independent public/private advisory council that is supported and sponsored by the Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS). It provides support for the implementation of Malaysia’s Business Events Roadmap, a strategy designed to further the country’s success as a business events destination.
Meanwhile, MSAE was launched in 2017 in response to the need for a single body to regulate the profession of association executives in Malaysia. Its mission is to advance the stature and professionalism of associations in Malaysia through advocacy, education and advisory services.
Initiated by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), the idea is to get Malaysian association executives to join, so they can access cutting-edge insights, exchange ideas, network, express thoughts and debate issues that impact the future growth sustainability of the associations.
The sector is further buoyed by the opening of Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in August 2017, which means that there is now a space in the city for mega events.MITEC, the largest trade and exhibition venue in Malaysia, boasts over 45,000m2 of gross exhibition space, and when all the exhibition halls are combined, they can accommodate up to 47,700 visitors in theatre-style and 28,300 guests banquet-style at any on time.
Specifically, MITEC targets the agriculture, manufacturing, science & technology and aerospace sectors, as they are within the National Key Economic Areas identified by the government to boost the nation’s economy and achieve a high income status by 2020. The centre also collaborates with Malaysia-based airlines and MyCEB to attract big regional and international events including rotating association meetings.
Gunther Beissel, CEO, MITEC added: “We also invest in the professional enhancement of national associations to build their capacity to bid for regional and international events, and in human capital/talent management.”
On its part, MyCEB has an ambassador programme which appoints leaders in various fields of expertise to profile and promote the country internationally, as well as bid for international conventions to be hosted in Malaysia.
To date, the Kesatria 1Malaysia programme comprises 47 appointed ambassadors, which further supports the 1Malaysia initiative that calls for national unity and the celebration of the country’s diversity to assist the progress of Malaysia’s economic goals and aspirations.
“The biggest achievement for us is when our Kesatria are appointed into the council/board of international associations, which proves that their expertise, knowledge and abilities are recognised; (this) helps give greater recognition to Malaysia,” MyCEB’s CEO, Zulkefli Sharif, said.
According to MyCEB, key industries that are attracted to stage their meetings in Kuala Lumpur, the nation’s capital, include medical/pharmaceutical, science and technology, as well as business and commerce.
Upcoming medical related international association conferences and events secured with Kesatria’s involvement include World Cancer Congress 2018; 6th Symposium of World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies 2018; The Biennial Scientific Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Paediatric Endocrine Society 2020; World Federation of Hemophilia World Congress 2020; and The 49th World Congress of Surgery 2021.
