Beyond GDP: measuring impact on communities as well as cultural and knowledge capital. Photo Credit: iStock/tang90246
Sarawak’s business events identity has been inextricable from legacy – lasting social, community and knowledge impact beyond immediate economic contributions. In M&C Asia’s latest cover story on legacy in business events, Jason Tan Chin Foo, acting CEO, Business Events Sarawak, discusses a purpose rooted in legacy: one that goes beyond destination branding to entrenching new ways of measuring and capturing how conferences and exhibitions shape industries, communities and policy.
What does legacy mean to BESarawak, and how does it support Sarawak’s broader economic and social development goals?
People often perceive the impact of an event only in terms of its economic value. When people attend a conference, exhibition or board meeting, they usually look at impact through their spending – on hotels, flights, F&B, and related services. That’s what is commonly seen as “the impact”.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface lies a much larger body of legacy impact that most people neither notice nor measure: knowledge transfer across disciplines, technology exchange, and outcomes that can even shape new policy.
Sarawak is likely the first destination in Malaysia to formally embrace this idea of legacy – we are “unlocking legacy”, so to speak. This is also central to the broader value of our business events programme: it's not just about the economy.
Our ambition is to position Sarawak as the legacy capital of Malaysia and Borneo. There is significant work ahead before we see the full results, but we are proud to take the first step – and to do so with strong government support. Ultimately, we want to position ourselves not just as a preferred destination for business events, but as a destination that drives impact through business events.
BESarawak’s Jason Tan: Taking the lead to anchor legacy in Malaysia and Borneo.How does AI.Legacy work in practice & what support structures are available?
AI.Legacy supports BESarawak through a dashboard and AI-enabled tools that capture event outcomes and legacy impact, generate automated legacy impact reports, and enable stakeholders to track alignment with PCDS 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
Legacy in action
The National Autism Convention 2023, organised by the Sibu Autistic Association in collaboration with BESarawak, united medical professionals, educators, families, and policymakers to improve the welfare of autistic individuals. Seminars and workshops addressed early detection and intervention, while a standout programme saw children with autism trained for stage performances – incorporating different dance styles from traditional childen’s songs to K-pop – to build communication, social and vocational skills. The event also seeded a lasting regional support network connecting the Sibu Autistic Association with healthcare professionals, educators, and families.
Beyond reporting, the platform also assists event organisers at the planning stage – helping them define clearer objectives, set expected outcomes, structure more targeted programmes, and identify speakers and partners aligned with their desired impact. The system is underpinned by a centralised dashboard for data capture and visualisation, AI-generated insights, standardised legacy indicators aligned with strategic frameworks, and stakeholder access to monitor and review contributions over time.
How do you measure and track legacy outcomes over time?
Legacy outcomes are measured through data captured via the dashboard during and after events, which is then analysed by AI to generate structured legacy impact reports. The system tracks alignment with PCDS 2030 and the UNSDGs, while enabling individual stakeholders to monitor their contributions and progress – ensuring that impact is assessed not only immediately after an event, but across longer-term horizons.
**This story is part of M&C Asia’s April–June 2026 cover story exploring **how business events across Asia Pacific are creating lasting legacy and impact**. Click here to read more from **this issue.