Malaysia continues to roll out strategic initiatives to propel its business events industry to new heights by tapping into India’s burgeoning M!CE segment.
MT Bureau
Mohammad Isa Abdul Halim, Director of Meeting and Support Incentives, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), shared with M!CEtalk the remarkable growth trajectory of Malaysia’s business events industry, particularly in catering to the Indian market. He highlights the strategic importance of India in Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to expand its footprint in the global M!CE sector.
According to Halim, Malaysia’s M!CE sector has witnessed a consistent uptrend in recent years, “The number of business events, or M!CE, in Malaysia has been consistently increasing each year. The Indian market is a significant focus for us, as it contributes approximately 48 per cent of our delegates for conferences, exhibitions, corporate meetings, and incentives.”
In a bid to further bolster ties with the Indian market, MyCEB actively participated in the Malaysia Tourism’s sales mission across key Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and New Delhi. These engagements exhibit Malaysia’s commitment to fostering robust partnerships and tapping into the immense potential offered by India’s burgeoning M!CE segment.
One of the pivotal factors expected to catalyse the influx of Indian delegates into Malaysia is the introduction of visa-free travel for Indian nationals. Halim stated, “India has been a vital market for Malaysia, and we anticipate a 15 to 20 percent increase in Indian delegates visiting Malaysia, especially with the introduction of visa-free travel for Indians.”
Halim revealed that Malaysia has secured an impressive lineup of 351 events scheduled from 2023 to 2030, signifying the country’s unwavering commitment to position itself as a preferred M!CE destination, globally. “India remains a cornerstone of Malaysia’s M!CE strategy, with 229,000 global delegates hailing from India, constituting nearly half of the total delegate count. To capitalise on this momentum and incentivise engagement from the Indian market, MyCEB has rolled out a pioneering initiative under the ‘Meet in Malaysia’ campaign dubbed ‘MyTripleE.’ This incentive package, encompassing Excel, Elevate, and Enliven components, caters to both large-scale and small-group corporate meetings and incentives, offering a compelling value proposition until 31 December, 2024,” informed Halim.
The MyTripleE is a support programme under MyCEB’s ‘Meet in Malaysia’ campaign to attract regional and international business events to Malaysia while boosting the domestic business events market in line with the MyCEB Business Events Strategic Marketing Plan 2021-2030.
Halim expressed optimism regarding the prospects of Malaysia’s business events industry, fueled by the anticipated surge in Indian delegates. He emphasised, “With the continued growth in Indian participation, Malaysia is poised to enhance its offerings and solidify its status as a premier M!CE destination, setting the stage for sustained success in the years to come.” Increasing Indian footfalls will result in strengthing Malaysia’s inbound market.
“The Indian market is pivotal for us, as it contributes approximately 48% of our delegates for conferences, exhibitions, corporate meetings, and incentives.”
Mohammad Isa Abdul Halim, Director of Meeting and Support Incentives, MyCEB
