‘Business events crucial in addressing world’s challenges’
Business events are important but adding more value such as Sarawak being a sustainable destination will leverage the legacy impact that conventions, meetings and other knowledge events bring to the table.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said it is therefore no secret that events do produce different forms of negative environmental impact, but events do not have to result in being environmentally harmful.
“Choosing to be more sustainable will not only reduce harmful environmental impacts but keep our ethics and values at the forefront of the event strategy.
“Events that lead in sustainability do so with environmental, economic and social values at its core,” he said.
Abdul Karim said this at the launching of the Third Business Events Tribal Meet (TriBE Assembly) and International Journal of Business Events and Legacies (IJBEL), here yesterday, which was attended by 250 people made up of locals and from overseas.
Business events play a crucial role in addressing the world’s challenges to find a balance between people, profit, planet and purpose, he said.
“It is also clear that destinations need to add more value on top of the knowledge, innovation and collaborations that come with business events.
“Just over a year ago, Sarawak’s business events sector embarked on a major assignment that now marks our destination as an emerging point for serious thought leadership and innovation,” he said.
On the launching of IJBEL, Abdul Karim, who is also Minister of Youth, Sport and Entrepreneur Development, said it is the world’s first academic journal focusing on business events and legacies to strengthen Sarawak’s knowledge capacity and destination value through education and collaborations.
It is also the first journal on business events in South East Asia, with 44 editors and advisors from 15 countries conveying their knowledge and expertise. The publication is perfect for, but not limited to, event practitioners, researchers, and students.
Publishing and launching IJBEL is a collaboration between Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) and International Congress and Convention Association, Curtin University Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Sarawak Research Society.
IJBEL is also helping the Sarawak government to achieve a few of the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 strategic thrusts, by targeting specific economic sectors and enablers.
Deputy ministers of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan and Datuk Sebastian Ting, the ministry’s permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee, UiTM rector Prof Dato Dr Jamil Hamali, and BESarawak chief executive officer Amelia Roziman were among those present at the event.