Media Release
WHEN IT COMES TO EVENTS, SIZE MATTERS
14 September 2020
The Borneo Convention Centre Kuching launched its “Size Matters” Campaign this morning, officiated by the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports, YB Datuk Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Also attending the event was Datuk Hajjah Raziah Mahmud Geneid, the Chairman of Borneo Isthmus Development, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot, Executive Director of BCCK and Mr. Hii Chang Kee, Permanent Secretary of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
The Size Matters Campaign highlights BCCK's position as the largest convention centre in Sarawak, spanning 13,175 square metres, as the ideal location for larger and safer events in the New Normal.
“BCCK has enough “elbow room” to ensure the safety of our delegates. Even with current capacity restrictions, our great hall alone can seat over 550 people in a round table setting, with generous social distancing. You can comfortably hold your event here, large or small, without sacrificing safety, as we continue to adhere to all government mandated SOPs according to the latest developments from the ministry of health,” said Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot during his speech.
The Centre understands the economic impact of COVID-19 on the business events industry and has decided to maintain event package prices, for the benefit of clients and customers, despite capacity restrictions and the additional cost of health screenings and frequent sanitisation.
To cater to the diversifying needs of clients, the Centre has also introduced a Virtual Meeting Package using BCCK’s best technology, offering half day meetings for RM2,000 and full day meetings for just RM3,000, to give clients more options to ensure a successful, safe and smooth meeting experience.
Shortly after reopening the centre, BCCK was the venue for the Post COVID-19 Tourism Sectors Dialogue Session with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sarawak on June 22nd as well as the hybrid BESarawak: Tribal Gathering 2020 event on the 9th July. This upcoming November, BCCK will be the venue for the Asia Pacific segment of the Regional Hubs ICCA Congress 2020.
“This year’s ICCA Congress will be the first Global hybrid experience that ICCA has ever organised, merging traditional with modern as we meet virtually from across the globe. We’re excited to be able to be the venue of choice for the Asia Pacific regional hub on this historic occasion. We are also happy to welcome ICCA back to our centre more, coming full circle from when we first hosted them for the 55th ICCA Congress in 2016,” Said Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot.
BCCK has also partnered with the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) for the ‘Lets Meet tomorrow’ and ‘Let’s Meet Locally’ campaigns aimed at stimulating the domestic Business Events industry, and is working closely with the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) and local business event industry members to spearhead local homegrown events focused on revitalising the industry on a state level.
YB Datuk Haji Abdul Karim praised BCCK for its foresight in offering hybridised events, setting a precedent for others in the industry to follow, referencing the Hari Wanita Sarawak celebrations which took place in BCCK in August.
“While enforcing social distancing and the usual safety measures, it was able to become a state-wide event that brought together women from all nine divisions of Sarawak through a virtual call,” YB Datuk Haji Abdul Karim said.
YB Datuk Haji Abdul Karim spoke on local events and expressed positivity in Sarawak’s potential to cultivate business events industry into a self-sustaining ecosystem that can survive and thrive on its own.
“I look forward to seeing the efforts of our local business events industry players bear fruit and lay the foundation for long term growth, not just for the time being but moving forward into post-covid era and beyond,” YB Datuk Haji Abdul Karim stated.
Food safety has always been a huge aspect of BCCK’s operating systems, and the centre continues to hold to ISO 22000 standards. Now, the centre is enforcing enhanced hygiene processes and precautions during food storage, preparation and serving, to guarantee the safety and satisfaction of our customers with the new normal post Covid-19.