MICE Destination

Malaysia : A One-Stop MICE Destination

Photographs courtesy of KLCC Convention Centre

Ariel Chew reveals why Malaysia is the perfect place for business and leisurely gatherings.

What do Petronas Malaysian F1 Grand Prix, LIMA (Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition), NAM (Non-Aligned Movement), Commonwealth Games, and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) have in common?

Yes, these are international big-wig events. So does the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Conference on the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the 50th The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) International Conference, Foodex Asia and even Bollywood's International Indian Film Academy (IIFA).

And yes, these events require top-notch state-of-the-art facilities, services and world-class hotels to accommodate theirneeds. Most importantly, they had Malaysia who fits the bill to a T as their host.

It's easy to see why internationally-acclaimed corporations and bodies are making Malaysia their host of choice when it comes to Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE). The country has an incredible diversity; there is something distinct and appealing about the landscape and the people in each of its state and city.

Malaysia is a unique blend of the traditional and the contemporary. Resplendent in its wealth of natural beauty, renowned for its amazing ultra-modern infrastructure and advanced telecommunications network and yet, being not very hard on the pockets (you can book a suite for the price of a standard room in other countries). Malaysia is the perfect place to meet, greet and treat your valued employees, executives, potential and current clients.

Incentives Galore

Malaysia offers a whole gamut of treats for the work-weary and stress-laden executive. The pristine sandy beaches of Langkawi are a great incentive to rejuvenate their minds and restore their sense of equilibrium. There's plenty to do, see and savour; its impressive cable car that overlooks the majestic landscape of Mt. Mat Chinchang, its duty-free shopping and the especially fresh seafood that is cooked to perfection.

Sport fans would heartily appreciate the adrenaline rush of seeing their favourite F1 driver zipping past them in the Sepang F1 circuit while the hardy and daring types will enjoy a rip-roaring time cascading down the rapids of Kuala Kubu Bahru, in a white-water rafting adventure or scuba diving at enthralling Tioman waters.

Then there is the off-the-beaten type of attractions that are hidden gems of the nation. The Royal Belum National Park, for example, is one of Perak's best-kept secrets. While many know that Malaysia is famous for its rainforests, very few of them have a chance to actually experience it. Older than the Amazon forest, the 130-million year old Royal Belumrainforest is a literal playground for some of the most exotic wildlife in the world. Avid nature lovers can get their feel of wildlife sightings from the huts stationed near the salt licks. Salt licks in are natural salt deposits which animals regularly lick to get their much-needed mineral sustenance. With plenty of elephants, tapirs, deers, rhinoceros, wild boars, bears and about 500 tigers wandering around, the chances are very high that you'll get to view most of them when you overnight at the huts.

Malaysia also offers an endless array of exciting jungle-trekking, caving and mountain climbing activities - all of which makes excellent team-building activities. The journey to a peculiar lake called Loagan Bunut is a truly unique experience for the lake 'disappears' during the dry season, unleashing hordes of spectacular birds to migrate there for a while until the lake fills up again. Trekking on Mount Kinabalu, which is the highest peak in Southeast Asia, is a great way to raise the group's fitness level and increase rapport.

"Eighteen holes of match play will teach you more about your foe than 19 years of dealing with him across the desk," Grantland Rice wrote nearly a century ago. The statement remains true today, not just for foes but more so for fostering familiarity and building stronger ties with business associates. With about 200 golf courses all over the country - be it in the cool slopes of Cameron Highlands or Desaru Golf and Country Resort with its Robert Trent Jones design set along a beach with lush tropical forest as its backdrop, you'll have the delightful problem of choosing where to tee-off.

If the city is more of your thing, there's an abundance of shopping and partying that can be had at swanky malls and clubs around city centres such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru. This is a great opportunity for your group to brush up and practice on their powers of negotiation as they bargain for the best price. Truly, nothing says "I appreciate you" more than sending your esteemed colleagues and associates to have the time of their lives in Malaysia.

Convenient Commuting

The good news is that these pleasurable activities are easily accessible from convention centres where large gatherings, conventions and exhibitions are held at MICE hubs which are mostly located in Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands, Penang, Langkawi and Johor Bahru. The cities are well connected and easy to get around; thanks to the modern and extensive network of highways and commuting systems. Flight passengers can reach the hub of Kuala Lumpur (KL Sentral) within half-an-hour from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with the high-speed KLIA Express.

The largest and most sophisticated train station in Kuala Lumpur, KL Sentral is the point where most train networks converge. Popular MICE venues such as the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Mid Valley Exhibition Centre (MVEC), Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) and Genting International Convention Centre (GICC) are just a bus or train ride away from KL Sentral.

A fleet of taxis are at your beck and call from the airport or KL Sentral. Those who prefer a more luxurious and hassle free journey can opt for the KLIA Express VIP service, at only RM100. The package include a friendly VIP service staff who will take care of all your needs right from your arrival at the Baggage Reclaim Hall, concierge service and be chaperone throughout your journey onboard the KLIA Express and to the limousine.

If your group needs some extra pampering, executive coach services such as the Nationwide Interstate Coach Executive (NICE) are available for charter at your convenience and chosen destination.

Not only the seats are spacious and comfortable, they also serve a lot of goodies onboard - delicious hot Delifrance cuisine, free flow of beverages, choices of magazines and newspapers to read, movies, even a fresh hot towel just before alighting the bus and top-class attentive service from the coach crew. How's that for travelling in style?

Affordable World-Class Accommodations

Comfortable accommodation is not a problem in Malaysia. There is abundance of first-class hotels adjoining the convention centres. The country has an inventory of 2,360 hotels offering 160,327 rooms. Neighbouring the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre are the 571-room Traders Hotel, the 643-room Mandarin Oriental Hotel and the newly-refurbished 335-room Impiana KLCC Hotel. There are also 10,000 hotel rooms in 4 and 5 star properties in KLCC itself.

Another popular location for MICE is the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Adjoining PWTC is the 554-room Best Western Premier Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur while the 620-room Legend Hotel is just a walking distance across the road.

The Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) has the 118-room Putrajaya Shangri-La Hotel, the 380-room Putrajaya Marriott Hotel, and the 152-room Palm Garden Hotel to accommodate delegates at one time. The Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC), located at the Mines Resort City have the 480-room Palace Of The Golden Horses, the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) is just a stone's throw away from the 232-room Hotel Helang and 214-room Langkasuka Beach Resort.

There are thousands of rooms available in Genting Highland which includes the 692-room Genting Hotel, the 838-room Resort Hotel, First World Hotel (the world's largest hotel with a whopping record of 6118 rooms!) and the 448-room Theme Park Hotel for events held at the Genting International Convention Centre (GICC). Mean while, the northern state

of Penang is sated with four-star and five-star hotels catering to convention facilities including the 655-room Equatorial Hotel nearest to the Penang International Sports Arena.

These hotels offer a lot of other facilities for the comfort of their guests in addition to cosy rooms. Putrajaya Shangri-La, for one, has a tantalizing assortment of rejuvenating activities, via their Health Club & Spa and their modern Techno-Gym. Indulge in heavenly massages, scrubs, body wraps, sweat it all out in their gym or let your life stresses float away as you cruise languidly along the Putrajaya Lake on a gondola. Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, for another, offers heat and water oasis in the form of steam rooms, dry saunas, and hot and cold Jacuzzi. A befitting ends indeed, after a long day of conference.

Sophisticated Convention Centres for All Occasions

Besides having an edge as an incentive destination backed by international-class hotels, Malaysia's convention centres are also poised to service any event. The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) stands out as the city's most technologically-advanced purpose-built facility.

Sprawling over a gross built-up area of 120,000m2, it boasts of the latest state-of-the-art technology in wireless, 3G telecommunications and digital audio-visual facilities encompassing sound, projection and lighting. It was awarded the 'Best Exhibition and Convention Centre in Asia' award at the TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards 2007 held in Hong Kong - an impressive feat for a mere two years old convention centre.

Also prominent is the long-standing PWTC which has 35,000m2 of exhibition space, integrated contemporary telecommunication systems and fibre optic cable systems. Its centralised location and spacious multi-purpose facilities makes it an ideal host for the MATTA Fair, Malaysian International Furniture Fair, International Book Fair and many more.

The glitzy and glamorous PICC in Putrajaya is rapidly growing to mammoth size on the MICE map. As host of notable events like the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Meeting in May 2006, Tunza International Children's Conference on Environment (TUNZA ICCE 2006) in August 2006, the biggest ICT event in Asia - eAsia ICT 2007, the Napolen Hill Convention 2007, and the Forbes Top 50 CEO 2007 Awards, it has the capacity to take 10,000 persons at one go comfortably.

For agro-based exhibitions, there's the burgeoning Malaysian Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS). At 100-hectares, MAEPS is Asia's largest and most comprehensive showground and exposition facility; offering exhibition halls with column-free spaces, direct vehicle access to the main halls and ample state-of-the-art facilities like AV and PA capabilities, electronic scoreboards, dedicated retail catering areas, lighting towers for night events and platforms for filming and photography. Its public Agro Botanical Live Museum, an Agro Cultural Centre and a large expanse of outdoor showground space for carnival-style events as well as featuring interactive exhibits of Malaysia?s key commodities and agro-industries truly sets MAEPS apart as an eco-friendly and agro-centric convening place.

Genting International Convention Centre is very popular not only for its praiseworthy infrastructure but also for its ideal location in the cooling highlands of Genting which is home to a slew of fun-filled activities and entertainment to fill up the post-conference hours. So whatever your MICE need is Malaysia is more than geared and happy to meet it.

F&B Par Excellence

Not only are the country's convention centres equipped to handle the most demanding and hi-tech events in the technical sense, they are also the perfect places to let delegates indulge in gastronomical delights. At PWTC, experienced in-house chefs are on hand to prepare a wide range of local and international fare which caters to every palate. They work in fully-equipped kitchen facilities doing all kinds of culinary preparations conveniently and hygienically.

PICC has two restaurants with a capacity for 800 people each. One restaurant specialises in Asian cuisines; ranging from Malay, Chinese, Indian and other exotic Oriental dishes. Mixed buffet spreads are available as well as customised arrangements such as sumptuous Chinese dinners and other Asian delights. The other restaurant offers western cuisine which includes steaks, pastas and other American and European delicacies.

The helpful and efficient event services and support staff of the centres will help you organise, plan and swiftly execute the plans according to your event needs. So even in convention centres where there are no in-house catering services, the event management staff will make sure that everything you need will be in place and every delegate well-fed and taken care of.

With such an impressive facilities and infrastructure, pristine beaches, hidden natural treasures, swanky convention halls, delectable cuisine and fabulous infrastructure, it is undeniably clear that when it comes to MICE, Malaysia has it all.