Miri will boast a new convention centre in 2025. Photo Credit: GettyImages/jameslsy
The Miri Business Events Committee (MBEC) has plans to develop the
northern region of Sarawak into an attractive business event city,
starting with a new convention centre slated for completion in 2025.
In the lead up to establishing Miri as a potential MICE destination,
MBEC will gear up for it with 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 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”.
Additionally, Hamzah encourages more industry and non-industry
players to come forward and propose new convention and exhibition topic
ideas.
MBEC met with minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and BESarawak) CEO Amelia Roziman on 24 August morning to discuss the development of Miri's MICE infrastructure.Adam Yii, MBEC chairman and 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 Yii. “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.”
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.