This positioning was conveyed through the ‘Sarawak Beyond 2026: Destination Discovery Programme’ (SBDDP2026) in September in Kuching, which also saw the agency celebrate its 20th anniversary.
“A meaningful experience should create value for organisers, delegates and the destination. We want them to leave Sarawak with memorable experiences, but we also want the communities they engage with to benefit from having them here,” said BESarawak CEO Jason Tan.
The legacy impact of business events is already being championed in bids and partnerships, but was reinforced in the familiarisation tour hosted for a multinational group of 25 attendees from associations, academia, corporations, conference owners, incentive houses and trade media, including micenet.
The packed program included novel activities, visits to new and established venues and hotel inspections.
Braving light haze and drizzle, five teams zipped through fascinating Kuching Tales and Trails routes listening to local stories, looking for clues and posting their photo evidence.
Semadang Adventure saw pairs of kayakers testing their skills before returning to a Bidayuh tribal welcome at base camp, accompanied by a shot or two of tuak (rice wine) and savoury bites.
The famil also showcased the popular Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, a sanctuary for semi-wild orangutans. While visitors are advised to observe the primates from a safe distance at feeding times, a creature may sometimes turn up outside the café.
Also on the program was the Borneo Cultures Museum – opened in 2022 across from the old Sarawak Museum – attractive both externally and internally.
‘In Harmony with Nature’ on the third floor traces the development of coastal, highland and rainforest communities over the centuries. Above it, ‘Time Changes’ features archaeological and historical artefacts, including Dayak skulls and weapons.
Various museum spaces are available for events. BESarawak showed how to engage NGOs and social enterprises in CSR efforts – delegates joined youths from Heart Treasures Kuching to make beaded necklaces.
Another unusual activity was a wellness ‘sound bath’.
F&B experiences included a local breakfast sampler of noodles, curry and spreads at Lima Sekawan; a welcome dinner at the new Jawhara Crystal Pavilion ‘Glasshouse’; a succulent seafood dinner at TopSpot; and a White Rajah thematic dinner at Brooke Dockyard Industrial Heritage Museum.
A sunset Sarawak River cruise preceded the Brooke Dockyard tour and dinner, but it can also be a standalone activity or upgraded to a dinner cruise.
Royal Kuching Cruise is receiving more international MICE groups as it works with event organisers and DMCs to include the cruise in their programs, said its general manager, Janice Wong.
“Smaller groups can join the regular Sunset Cruise in a dedicated section or dining area. Larger functions may take the air-conditioned lower deck while the upper deck continues to accommodate regular cruise guests,” she said.
Private charters accommodate about 200 pax.
For the Australian market, Wong recommended a ‘Taste of Sarawak’ evening for 50 to 120 pax, featuring local food or canapés, cultural performances and live entertainment while cruising past riverfront landmarks.
The Brooke Dockyard tour of original machinery and a replica of the HHY Zahora followed by a set-menu dinner and live entertainment is a new way to turn the heritage spaces into unique event venues.
It rounded off the night and familiarisation trip, as hosts led attendees in ‘poco-poco’, a Sarawak line dance.
Hotels and venues in Sarawak
For accommodation and meeting needs, SBDDP2026 delegates visited downtown hotels Hilton, Pullman, Riverside Majestic, Waterfront Hotel and stayed at the Sheraton.
Beyond the city and nearer the airport were Imperial Hotel and the new voco Kuching, where BESarawak’s 20th anniversary celebration dinner was staged with an impressive culinary, cultural and musical show.
“Australia and New Zealand are emerging MICE markets for voco Kuching, with encouraging arrivals and opportunities to develop both corporate meetings and incentive groups,” said Ivan Chai, the property’s director of sales.
Sheraton Kuching combines contemporary accommodation and versatile event spaces with tailored catering experiences supporting Kuching’s UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy standing and rich cultural heritage.
Besides flexible event space, the refurbished Hilton Kuching offers intimate poolside events and says groups use the hotel as a convenient base from which to experience Kuching’s diverse heritage.
The redesigned Pullman Kuching offers more than 3,000m2 of meeting space, including Kuching’s largest column-free hotel ballroom.
And, as Kuching’s only independent five-star hotel, the Waterfront Hotel leverages its convenient, central location near many attractions while pitching its ballroom and seven function rooms.
As far as purpose-built, standalone convention facilities go, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) will host a much broader range and scale of events when BCCK2 opens in Q2 2028, including the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in September 2028.
“Together with the existing BCCK, the expanded integrated campus will have capacity for up to 15,000 people and greater flexibility for international congresses, exhibitions, corporate events, live shows and other major gatherings,” said BCCK COO David Bareng.
Summing up, Adrian Goh, BESarawak’s manager of business development for corporate meetings and incentives, said: “The program was designed to showcase Sarawak’s cultural assets, people and sense of place in a more genuine way. Participation was a key part of the experience.
“SBDDP2026 was delivered in collaboration with a network of experienced local industry partners. This same collaborative support can be extended to event organisers.”
Event support and access
BESarawak supports groups of at least 50 non-Sarawakian delegates for corporate meetings and incentives running for two days or more. For conventions, the minimum is 150 non-Sarawakian delegates. Smaller groups may also access support tailored to the purpose of the event.
Kuching is served by several daily flights from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and four to five weekly flights from Brunei and Jakarta.
State-owned, full-service carrier AirBorneo recently launched daily flights to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, providing a one-stop connection to many Australian cities.
