RM1.3 bln returns from international business events

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has earned RM1.3 billion revenues from 147 international business events attended by 83,229 international delegates in the first seven months of this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohammaddin Ketapi said the agency received a RM213.5 million allocations from 2011 to 2018 to bid for and organise international business events in Malaysia as well as promotional and marketing programmes with the objective of maximising the economic returns to the country.

“As the result of the investments from 2011 to 2017, MyCEB generated RM6.2 billion in tourist spending, providing an economic impact worth RM11.5 billion for the country.

“During the period, MyCEB brought in 2,013 international business events involving a total of 943,156 international delegates,” he said in reply to a question from Larry Soon alias Larry Sng Wei Shien (PH-Julau) during the oral question-and-answer session in the House.

Mohammaddin said the country also received a positive impact from the hosting of international business events in the country through the transfer of technology and knowledge from the experts and international speakers to the local delegates.

MyCEB is an agency established by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to manage and enhance Malaysia’s international profile in four competitive business event markets, namely conventions, events, meetings and international exhibitions. - Bernama