Sarawak To Lure Quality Tourists Through Mice International Market

KUCHING (Sarawak, Malaysia), June 12 (Bernama) -- East Malaysia state of Sarawak wants to lure quality tourists by positioning itself globally through the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) international market, state Tourism Minister Abang Johari Openg said on Tuesday. He said the various hotels here were already fully booked for the next two years in anticipation of an influx of international delegates following conference bid wins secured by the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB), with the events to be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), here. "We have been recognised as the new convention and exhibition destination as a result of our diverse efforts to promote Sarawak that have exposed our facilities to the international market and bring in more quality tourists." Abang Johari said this to reporters after witnessing the presentation of SCB's Brand Laureate Country Branding Award 2011-2012 to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud from SCB chairman, Dr Muhammad Leo Toyad, here. Meanwhile, Muhammad Leo said SCB managed to put Sarawak on the business tourism map, having secured over 180 conference bid wins that were estimated to bring in over RM204 million in direct delegate expenditure over the last five years and another 65 conventions anticipated in the next three years. Last year, Sarawak's capital Kuching earned its place, for the first time ever, on the 2010 International Convention and Congress Association (ICCA) Asia Pacific and Middle East city ranking. It shared the 42nd spot with Nara and Guangzhou, and bettered the performance of many established second-tier cities such as Adelaide and Canberra in Australia and Bangalore in India. –- BERNAMA