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SCB Borneo Experience 2008 - UK and Europe
A group of 12 prestigious international association executives from the UK and Germany visited Sarawak from 22^nd to 27^th January 2008 on a familiarisation site visit which organised by the Sarawak Convention Bureau.
Between them these international association clients have the potential to bring major international conventions into Sarawak which will be of huge economic benefit to the local economy. And with the new Borneo Convention Centre opening in 2009, this high profile visit will put Sarawak onto the meeting planners' map of future potential congress destinations.
The group flew Malaysian Airlines via Kuala Lumpur into Kuching where their first stop was the Hilton Kuching. After an overnight stay, a cultural experience of Sarawak included the Semongok Orang Utan Nature Reserve , before stopping at the Hilton Batang Ai Resort for a Malay Kampung style dinner.
Afterwards, a visit to a Longhouse enabled the group to witness Iban miring rituals and traditional dance. Visits to Miri and Mulu were also on the agenda to visit the Deer and Lang Caves, the Turtle Caves and the Bat Observatory. The Sarawak Convention Bureau appointed Diethelm Events Malaysia as their ground handler for the site inspection.
One of the clients, Amanda Wills from Minerals Engineering International, said, "We run minerals industry conferences and have been thinking of Malaysia as a potential venue due to the active mining industry in South East Asia".
Graham Fryer of the International Association of Driver Education has a particular interest in the Oceania region for a meeting. He will be sourcing venues for this event during his visit and also hopes to meet potential sponsors who could assist in bringing his event to Sarawak.
And conference organiser, Brenda Playford, is currently working with a group who produce environmental foams and powders for areas of forest to save the impact of chemicals on those forest. She says, "Sarawak could be an area of particular interest to this group for their meetings with its close links to the rainforest and reforestation industry".
The group was accompanied by Sarawak Convention Bureau's Director of Sales & Marketing Christina Wendt and the Convention Bureau's UK representative, Julie Watterston, who adds, "The international convention industry provides destinations with a strong and high level return on investment and I am sure that these association executives will be excited by what Sarawak has to offer for their future congresses".