BESarawak releases IJBEL Special Edition on Sustainability at IMEX Frankfurt, showcasing its commitment to a resilient future. Photo Credit: Xinyi Liang-Pholsena
Sustainability and legacy are long-standing pillars for Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), which exhibited at IMEX Frankfurt 2024
with a standalone pavilion and eight-member strong delegation to
highlight the Malaysian state's commitment to driving impact-driven
business events.
This year, the Sarawak pavilion featured a striking Tree of Life
centrepiece to visually represent the direct and indirect impacts that
business events have on society, reflecting Sarawak's support for
community growth and development through sustainable practices in the
MICE industry.
Collaborating with the Culinary & Heritage Arts Society Sarawak
(CHASS), UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) Kuching Creative City of
Gastronomy, and food and beverage provider, The Bibber’s Tale, BESarawak
highlighted the relationship between business events and creative
communities, with local specialities such as Sarawak laksa (noodle
soup), kek lapis (layered cake) and tauk (rice wine) showcased at the
booth.
During the trade show, the Sarawakian delegation introduced three key
talking points: Legacy Impact of Business Events hosted in Sarawak, the
International Journal on Business Events and Legacies (IJBEL), and the
Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 – all of which convey the
Malaysian state’s interest and engagement in impact-driven events.
“With the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 in motion, the
Sarawak government actively seeks quality business events to contribute
to economic prosperity, social inclusion, and environmental
sustainability,” shared Datuk Snowdan Lawan, deputy minister for
tourism, creative industry and performing arts Sarawak.
“To attract international conventions and exhibitions, as well as
corporate meetings and incentives, Sarawak must be recognisable and
identifiable around the world.”
“Legacy impact is an important sense of purpose for the global
business events community,” said Amelia Roziman, CEO of BESarawak. “They
are becoming more aware of their impact, and we hope that by
reaffirming our Legacy Capital status in Frankfurt, we can acquire
useful insights, solid business leads, and prospective partnerships to
help enhance this status and contribute to the PCDS 2030.”
Further steps toward legacy creation
Further solidifying Sarawak's commitment to sustainability, BESarawak
confirmed a collaboration with The International Ecotourism Society
(TIES) for future ecotourism business events and developments. TIES, the
oldest and largest ecotourism society globally with over 15,000 active
members from over 190 countries, provides guidelines, standards,
training, technical assistance, and educational resources.
BESarawak's legacy efforts also include supporting the International Journal of Business Events and Legacies (IJBEL),
an open-access journal that compiles and publishes original research
and industry viewpoints on business event tourism, MICE, and
socio-economic and tourism legacies.
IJBEL Volume 2 Issue 2, launched at IMEX Frankfurt, is now indexed
with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) (2785-8499) and
E-ISSN (2785-8855), meeting prerequisites for researchers and
academicians to cite the journal's content.
“The journal is designed for universal use and contribution, serving
as a valuable educational resource for everyone in the business events
community, from all corners of the globe, to enhance their event
quality,” said Roziman.