There has seen a significant increase in demand for in-person events, with up to 127 global meetings (51 conventions and 76 exhibitions) booked at the venue from 2022 to 2024 for Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre), the premier purpose-built venue.
The Centre has hosted close to 300 in-person events that welcomed about 200,000 delegates and guests ever since the country opened its international borders and eased meetings and events restrictions in April.
“We definitely are seeing an improvement in Malaysia’s business events landscape after two years, which were heavily impacted by the pandemic. Malaysia as a destination has demonstrated its capability to create a safe environment for business events moving forward and the strength and resilience of its supply chain and logistics, showcasing flexibility and agility in the face of a global crisis,” shared Alan Pryor, the Centre’s General Manager.
“We hosted a record number of corporate open houses this year during the Hari Raya season, hosting up to five dinners and thousands of guests, in one night. The open houses are an important part of Malaysia’s business culture and are a key avenue for local organisations and companies to build and maintain professional affiliations, as well as engage with their team members during the festive period,” added Pryor.
The ease of doing business in Malaysia, its experienced supply chain and the wide spread use and proficiency of English are among the primary factors attracting global events to the country.
The Centre, a 40-minute drive from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), is strategically located in heart of the city, overlooking the iconic Petronas Twin Towers and a lush 50-acre park. Flanked by on-site hotels, the venue also provides quick access to nearby attractions and lifestyle establishments, making it a sustainable and preferred venue of choice for many high-profile international business and government meetings and events.
“We are steadfast in transforming ourselves into a sustainable venue that positively contributes to our city and country. This year alone we have pioneered the first public-private sector partnership to advance our collective sustainability goals, placed AI-powered technologies to manage food waste and encourage recycling, and established the groundwork to make the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) precinct a sustainable destination for all visitors and guests,” Pryor continued.
The Centre continues to win bids to host major international conventions with the most recent being an architectural convention in 2024 and medical convention in 2026, with expected delegate counts of 6,000 and 5,000 respectively.
Recently, the venue was also recognised with the EventseumTM Hall of Fame 2021 Global Innovation Award for Asia and the ‘Muslim-Friendly Convention and Exhibition Centre of the Year’ by Halal in Travel Awards 2022.
The award-winning venue is also seeing strong traction in the return of live entertainments events in its 3,000-seater Plenary Hall. Most recently, Nigel Ng a.k.a Uncle Roger, a global comedy sensation recently humoured his Malaysian fans.
“Confidence and enthusiasm are high in the marketplace which is positively contributing to the business events industry and country’s recovery. We have done well in navigating the treacherous waters of the pandemic but now, must look forward to ensure our guests and stakeholders continue to experience excellence from our expert team and world-class service standards,” concluded Pryor.
The Centre’s upcoming events calendar includes the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium 2022 (IGARSS 2022); International Medical Exhibition & Conference (IMEC EXPO) 2022; 6th Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Congress (APGC) 2022; International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference (IGEM) 2022; International Congress on Infectious Diseases 2022; IEEE International Instrumentation & Measurement Technology Conference (I2MTC) 2023; and more.
