The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre), Malaysia’s premier purpose-built business events destination, is poised for a remarkable year in 2024, having already secured 65% of its revenue target for the year.
The Centre has already kickstarted 2024 with confirmed bookings for 37 conventions and 50 exhibitions and these numbers are expected to increase as more national conferences and exhibitions, short lead meetings and events are confirmed during the year.
During 2023, the Centre hosted 1,724 events which was the highest number since 2014. These events attracted 1,342,295 delegates to the Centre and contributed to an estimated RM656 million in economic impact for Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia. The venue expects to surpass this achievement in 2024, in the process creating major economic benefits for retailers, F&B outlets, hotels, airlines, and the broader Malaysian business events supply chain.
Prestigious events that have already been confirmed for 2024 include the Ancaro Imparo Dental Conference, International Café & Beverage Show, 21st AILA World Congress, European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) meets Asia, International Surgical Week, Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery Conference & Exhibition (AMSC) and International Union of Architects (UIA) Forum. The selection of the Centre as the venue for these high-profile events reflects both the venue’s status as the leading business events facility in the country and the increasing benefits of hosting international events in Malaysia.
John Burke, General Manager of The Centre, stated, “Based on industry trends and the bookings the Centre has already secured, 2024 will be a strong year for international conventions and exhibitions. Our focus for the year and moving forward, is not so much about expanding the number of events we host, but on maximising the opportunities events bring, whether in trade or economic impact.”
He continued, “During 2024 the Centre will continue to work closely with its clients and organisers, addressing their concerns and providing the right counsel to deliver to their exact needs. Even though the venue has already achieved 65% of its 2024 revenue target, the number of confirmed events is well within the overall capacity for the building and the capabilities our experienced team, who have successfully delivered thousands of events. We are confident that we have both the capability and resources to deliver excellent business events throughout the remainder of 2024.”
This confidence has been reinforced since the start of the year with the recent successes in awards and certification. In January, the venue won the Malaysia Business Events Awards (MBEA) Purpose-Built Convention & Exhibition Venue Excellence category. These awards, organised by the Malaysian Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (MACEOS), recognise and celebrate the crème de la creme in Malaysia’s business events industry.
Also, in January, the Centre’s team were delighted to receive the prestigious Best Exhibition Centre and Best Meeting Room awards at the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard awards, which are organised by the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture (MOTAC), along with their counterparts in nine other ASEAN nations. The ASEAN MICE Venue Standard awards are a regional benchmark in ASEAN, recognising technological innovation, world-class standards, and outstanding hospitality.
The good news continued in February when, in line with its ongoing sustainability efforts, the Centre was honoured EarthCheck Gold certification.
EarthCheck Certified is the world’s leading science-based environmental certification and benchmarking program for the business events and tourism industries. As part of a comprehensive five-year process the Centre was independently audited and benchmarked by experts on its performance in many areas including energy, water, waste, paper and cleaning.
According to EarthCheck, the Centre is the first business events and tourism venue in Malaysia to achieve its gold level certification. The EarthCheck Gold certification is one of many international quality standards and accreditations that the Centre complies with as part of its ongoing work to maintain its world class status and provide peace of mind and assurance to clients and guests.
Commenting on this John Burke stated, “We are absolutely delighted to have achieved these awards and the EarthCheck certification at the start of 2024. Our sustainability transformation and commitment to low or zero carbon events is a major part of our strategy both this year and into the future. Our investments in sustainability, which include everything from waste management, energy efficiency, sustainable sourcing and more, have made the Centre a rock-solid choice for clients and organisers looking to minimise the environmental impact of their events and is already paying dividends in attracting new corporate and government events. Our dedicated sustainability working team and manager will continue to drive our sustainability progress in the coming year.”
Throughout 2024, The Centre will be collaborating with the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and other industry players to position Malaysia as a top-tier business events destination. As part of this the Centre will be participating in the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) in Melbourne, Australia, in late February. Visitors to the show are encouraged to visit the Centre’s team at Stand F32 to explore The Centre’s customisable end-to-end solutions and discover the unique business events experiences available in Malaysia, which offers fantastic value for money and an English fluency which sets it apart from many of its competitors.
John concluded, “We look forward to connecting and engaging with industry professionals at AIME. Australia has always been an important market for the venue, and we look forward to being there. More generally I am looking forward to 2024 and the business event opportunities that it will bring for us and Malaysia’s economic growth.”
