Borneo. 2009 will also see the mid year opening of the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching. Conventions confirmed for the new Centre include the International Energy Week Expo from 3 – 5 November, the 3rd Asia International Conference on Water Resources & Renewable Energy and the Australian Universities International Alumni Convention in 2010. Two new Kuching hotels will be opening 2009 adding in excess of 800 new rooms to the City. The Four Points Sheraton is nearing completion and will open in January with the Novotel Interhill due to open later this year.

With the global economic slowdown already impacting on visitor arrivals and predictions of doom and gloom across most business sectors, there is some good news on the horizon for Malaysia’s meetings industry with the Sarawak Convention Bureau reporting a year end bid success ratio of 68 per cent securing 28 new conventions for Sarawak. These events are expected to deliver 51,000 delegate days and over RM 35 million in direct delegate expenditure at conventions to be held over the next three years. Major conventions and exhibitions scheduled for next year include the 8th World Congress on Engineering Education, Malaysian Sterile Services Association Conference & Exhibition, District 51 Toastmasters International Convention, Malaysian Association of Orthodontists Scientific Conference and the 11th National Congress of Tailor’s Guilds Malaysia.

However, the Bureau is not resting on its laurels and the Bureau’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Jill Henry commented: “While we are celebrating our success, there is still much more to be done. As a Bureau, we are better known overseas than within Malaysia at the moment and we need to promote the value of conventions at home to encourage more Malaysians to actively participate in their respective International Associations.” www.sarawakcb.com