At the Malaysia Business Events Awards (MBEA) & Gala Night 2025, Deputy Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi delivered a powerful message; Business Events are far more than dates on a calendar. They are strategic catalysts for national progress, bridging industries, attracting investment, and shaping Malaysia’s place on the global stage.
Speaking to industry leaders, the Deputy Prime Minister paid tribute to the resilience of a sector that has weathered unprecedented challenges, from pandemic disruptions and economic turbulence to the rapid evolution of digital engagement. “This industry is not fragile – it is formidable,” he affirmed, recognising the creativity, adaptability, and determination that have enabled the business events community to recalibrate, reinvent, and rebound stronger than before.
A Decade of Measurable Impact
Over the past decade, Malaysia has hosted more than 3,000 business events, welcoming over a million delegates and generating an estimated RM18 billion in economic impact. The ripple effect of these events extends well beyond convention halls, benefitting urban hotels, rural SMEs, logistics providers, and local artisans.
Delegates are not just visitors; they are high-value travellers and “ambassadors of opportunity” who stay longer, spend more, and often return with their families. More importantly, they bring with them fresh ideas, investments, and influence.
Government Support and Strategic Commitment
Recognising the sector’s critical role, the Government has placed business events at the centre of its economic strategy. Under Budget 2025 and the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), bold investments are being made in infrastructure modernisation, digital innovation, and international branding.
Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN 2025 presents a unique opportunity to showcase its leadership in hosting world-class platforms for diplomacy, commerce, and innovation. Tourism is also resurgent, with foreign tourist expenditure in 2024 reaching RM102.2 billion. As the nation prepares for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, ambitious targets have been set at 35.6 million tourist arrivals, RM147 billion in total receipts, and a 16% GDP contribution from tourism.
To support these goals, the Government is streamlining visa facilitation for high-frequency travellers, upgrading major airports and convention venues, and enhancing collaboration between key agencies such as MACEOS, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), and the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). The aim is to position Malaysia as the region’s premier Business + Leisure destination.
A Call to Industry Leaders
The Deputy Prime Minister urged MACEOS and all industry stakeholders to rise beyond operational excellence and embrace the role of nation-builders. “We need your ideas, your platforms, your global connections to amplify Malaysia’s story, to nurture new talent, and to drive innovation that cements Malaysia’s status as a world-class hub for business events,” he said.
This is a call to create events that are more than moments; events that leave legacies, empower communities, and contribute to a confident, credible Malaysia on the world stage.
Celebrating Excellence
The Gala also honoured the visionaries, pioneers, and behind-the-scenes professionals whose work has elevated Malaysia’s global profile. From planners and designers to AV technicians and suppliers, each has played a part in transforming gatherings into legacies.
In closing, the Deputy Prime Minister reinforced the shared responsibility of shaping the nation’s future through the business events sector. “Let every event be more than a moment… let it be a movement,” he concluded, pledging the Government’s continued partnership in breaking barriers, enabling growth, and championing the industry.