Kota Kinabalu: Sabah, endowed with natural beautiful attractions and rich biodiversity, is in a unique position in terms of the variety and diversity it can offer as a Business Event (BE) destination in the MICE industry.
International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Chief Executive Officer Dr Senthil Gopinath (pic) told Daily Express in a media interview said that Sabah is now well known in the MICE industry as the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) under the leadership of its CEO Datuk Hajah Dr Rosmawati Haji Lasuki, has promoted Sabah well around the world with the cooperation and assistance of ICCA. He also recognised that Sabah has set up its own Convention Bureau.
Dr Senthil is in Sabah to participate in the 3rd International Business Events Forum from (BE in Sabah 2026) from Feb 3 to 5 at SICC. Business events are essential for fostering economic growth, facilitating knowledge exchange, and driving innovation by bringing professionals together for networking and collaboration.
They serve as critical platforms for building brand visibility, generating leads, and fostering face-to-face relationships that are difficult to replicate digitally. Ultimately, these gatherings turn knowledge into action and create value through shared experiences.
“Sabah was part of the last ICCA Congress, which we hosted in Abu Dhabi in 2024. Sabah came and presented its case very well. There were 81 countries attending. I have spoken to many of them. Many of them really knew Sabah. It's not only for tourism, yes Sabah has beautiful forest, beautiful landscapes, and sustainability.
So, that was a clear example to understand where Sabah is in the global map today.
"Sabah is in a very unique place because globally, if you look at the topic, some of the key leverages Sabah has are sustainability and biodiversity. Business Events if you take the last decade into account have grown phenomenally as an industry.
Dr Senthil was accompanied by ICCA Regional Director for Asia Pacific Ms Waikin Wong on his visit to the Kokol Haven Resort as one of the eco-destinations attractive to business visitors pre-and post-convention, and was shown around the scenic sunset view of the city skyline by interview venue host Datuk Vincent Pung and his general manager son Alvin Pung.
"I see that the international audience, when you invite them to be part of this business week, they really respond very well. That's a great job done by SICC, Dr Rosmawati and then the Convention Bureau and the entire stakeholders here."
"In East Asean, if you look at the destinations, the ambition and the mandate which Sabah has, they still don't have. They are all working towards that. So, Sabah is one step ahead that way," Dr Senthil said.
"So Sabah has a great opportunity to take the lead in East Asia and talking about what it can offer will take it to the next level as well," he said. This is Dr Senthil Gopinath's second visit to Sabah, and he sees that Business Events are bringing global knowledge into Sabah and educating the local community.
"So Sabah has a great opportunity to take the lead in East Asia and talking about what it can offer will take it to the next level as well. So probably what we need is a structured approach.
"All the stakeholders have to work together and tell the story in one voice around the world, in every platform necessary because for many destinations, what they do, they do once or twice, and then they don't continue. But Sabah has been very consistent with BE in Sabah.
"So now we can further enhance that position. And I'm sure Sabah will become a hub. And it will even show to the neighbours that by working with Sabah, they can benefit as well, in the East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
"So for them, It'll be a great advantage looking at what Sabah is doing, because anybody who's coming over here wants the confidence in Sabah, they'll start visiting the East Asean region.
"So BIMP-EAGA will benefit economically as well because 80 per cent of the conference delegates tend to stay on in regions like this for doing minimum six to ten days tours. That's what the research says. So, that's a huge economic benefit for Sabah and for the surrounding countries as well, in East Asean. So that's a huge benefit, so it's not only hosting the Business Events, pre- and post-Business Event activities will also benefit a lot."
"International business events always bring numbers. It brings thousands of delegates, and we always say they spend six times more than normal tourists.
"So they really build the local community, support the local community. And also it will bring awareness about Sabah around the world," Dr Senthil Gopinath said.
Dr Senthil Gopinath hails ICCAs continued engagement with BE in SABAH which reflects a shared commitment to strengthening capability, professional standards, and knowledge exchange within the global business events community.
He said that his year, ICCA's presence at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland marked an important and highly visible moment for the business events industry, where the value of business events was articulated and advocated at the highest global level, despite disruptive protectionist rhetorics from the U.S. President Trump.
Through this platform, ICCA has been actively championing the business events industry, elevating its role as a strategic enabler of economic growth, international collaboration, and long-term development within global policy and business discourse.
Dr Senthil's leadership in advancing this advocacy, and his presence here at BE in SABAH 2026, add significant depth and perspective to the conversations taking place over the next two days.
Business events in the ICCA are crucial for fostering a unique culture of sharing, allowing members to exchange commercially sensitive information, win bids, and build lasting partnerships. They act as a vital economic driver for the meetings industry, providing structured networking, knowledge exchange, and targeted opportunities for business growth.
These Business Events gatherings are essential for navigating a competitive, evolving market, offering both strategic collaboration and practical tools for success as ICCA is committed to enhancing the business value among its members.
