Sarawak champions Legacy Impact at TMS APAC 2025

Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (third from right) officiated the launch of the Sarawak Pavilion and the revamped Tribe Legacy Sarawak campaign at The Meetings Show Asia Pacific 2025 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

SINGAPORE, 16 April 2025 - Sarawak made a powerful debut at The Meetings Show Asia Pacific (TMS APAC) today with a regional launch of its revamped Tribe Legacy Sarawak campaign with the bold new tagline “Driving Impact Together.”

Held at Marina Bay Sands Singapore, the launch marked Business Events Sarawak’s (BESarawak) renewed commitment to positioning Sarawak as the capital of legacy impact for Malaysia and Borneo through three transformative initiatives:

LEGACY360: Scheduled for Oct 2, 2025 in Kuching, LEGACY360 will be Southeast Asia’s first event focussed solely on legacy-building through business events. Around 300 delegates are expected to attend, exchanging ideas on social, environmental, and economic change. The event will run alongside Kind Borneo, a non-profit expo promoting corporate social responsibility.

Borneo Inspire Legacy Awards (BILA): Taking place on Oct 3, 2025, BILA is Borneo’s first and only award ceremony dedicated to business event legacies. A total of 18 awards across five categories will recognise organisers and planners, vendors, media, and other supporting roles that contribute to impactful events.

AI.LEGACY: This newly developed system will enable Sarawak to measure, monitor, and report both the quantitative and qualitative impact of business events, aligning efforts with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Sarawak’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy.

Speaking at the launch event, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, in his speech emphasised Sarawak’s new focus or strategy, in this case shifting from simply promoting tourism to creating meaningful, long-term impact through business events.

“International business events are the new economic drivers in Sarawak therefore an independent pavilion at TMS APAC is an investment for Sarawak. With our vision of becoming the legacy capital of business events in Malaysia and Borneo, the three transformative initiatives are going to help us bring global communities together and strengthen our market position,” said Karim.

“Business event legacies cannot be built without events first and foremost, so relationship-building and business development at TMS APAC are equally important strategies while we are here,” he added.

CEO of BESarawak, Amelia Roziman said the initiative reflected a collaborative push toward meaningful change.

“Every initiative we’ve launched in 2025 is designed to bring people and drive impact together through business events. Through our three transformative programmes and strong collaborations with local brands, we’re proving that real change happens when we drive it together,” said Amelia.

“This isn’t just about Sarawak. It’s a collective journey, and we welcome all sectors and industries to walk alongside the business events sector. That’s what I AM LEGACY stands for - a transformative movement that values impact from every person, not just professionals.”

The event also witnessed the official launch of the Sarawak Pavilion, officiated by Karim.

The Pavilion, a purpose-built space at the exhibition, is designed to reflect Sarawak’s vision for sustainable, inclusive, and legacy-focussed business events.

Sarawak’s presence at TMS APAC is also supported by nine co-exhibitors representing various sectors of the region’s business events ecosystem:

• Borneo Adventure Tours and Travel 

• Borneo Convention Centre Kuching 

• CPH Travel 

• Mulu and Miri Marriott Resort & Spa 

• Pullman Kuching and Pullman Miri Waterfront 

• Sheraton Kuching 

• TechnoExpo 

• KANTIN (serving authentic Sarawak laksa) 

• The Bibber’s Tale (offering Sarawak-inspired cocktails)

As part of the showcase, visitors can also experience community-based products and enjoy complimentary giveaways that celebrate Sarawak’s colourful culture and creative industries.

Since 2019, Sarawak has been transitioning from a tourism-focussed business events strategy to one that places legacy impact at the forefront, supported by policy, innovation, and partnerships.

BESarawak invites all visitors and industry professionals to connect with their team at the Sarawak Pavilion, open until April 17 at TMS APAC.