New direction underscores Malaysia's MICE potential

The Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has embraced a new brand identity, Asia’s Business Events Hub, which will position the country as an entry point for international organisations wanting to engage with Asian businesses and professionals through events.

A revamped standalone website showcasing MyCEB’s new branding, as well as a Quick Response (QR) code which directs smartphone users to the website when scanned with a QR reader, were unveiled at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Ho Yoke Ping, general manager-sales & marketing, MyCEB, told TTG Asia that the new branding and website would enable the bureau to clearly demarcate its role, and distinguish its efforts from Malaysia’s broader tourism promotion initiatives.

“The focus of this major branding exercise is to communicate our value proposition to the market, and to give MyCEB and Malaysia a competitive edge," she said. "Our ultimate goal is to position Malaysia as one of the top five destinations in Asia-Pacific for international meetings, and to hit a target of 2.9 million business arrivals by 2020.”

Ho added that the website would be constantly updated to inform meeting planners of Malaysia’s latest MICE-related service and facility offerings, and would be linked to a customer relationship management (CRM) system developed in partnership with Simpleview, a US-based CRM solutions provider. Other MICE initiatives due to be rolled out include an Association Ambassador Programme, which will enable MyCEB to identify and train potential local hosts for international conventions, and a certification programme for Malaysia’s MICE industry stakeholders, which is still under development.

MyCEB will also be increasing its sales representation in Europe, followed by North America, Australia and key markets in Asia. The move will strengthen MyCEB’s bidding activities, promotions, lead generation process and marketing programmes in these markets. The Ministry of Tourism has allocated a budget of RM50 million (US$16 million) to MyCEB for 2012, half of which will be channelled into the bureau’s existing subvention programme.
-TTG Asia.
http://www.myceb.com.my/