PCMA-ICESAP Knowledge Exchange Lands in Kuala Lumpur
August 14, 2018
The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) recently hosted the PCMA-ICESAP Knowledge Exchange Kuala Lumpur.
The engaging educational programme was short and punchy, and brought together over 30 leading business events industry players, stakeholders and decision-makers to share knowledge and experience on how they are recalibrating their businesses in response to constant digital, political and economic change.
PCMA-ICESAP Regional Business Director-APAC, Antonio Codinach, said, “This was our first knowledge exchange event in Malaysia, which made us all pioneers! Being relatively new to the industry, I have noticed we are very good at talking amongst ourselves, so I am making it my mission to ‘open up’ the business events industry, which was one of the purposes of this session.”
He added, “Our industry (business events) makes a tremendous contribution to key educational and economic sectors, and this event provided us with a platform to debate, interact and share ideas on how we can evolve together and drive this important industry forward.”
Under the overarching theme ‘Evolving Your Business Model For Changing Times’, keynote speaker, CEO Co-Founder of SigMax-e Services and co-author of ‘9 Entrepreneurisms’, Srikrishna Vadrevu, posed two questions to participants, “What is changing? What is not?”
The general consensus is that, “Basically, everything is changing, but one thing that remains constant is that the customer is king and that a good way to navigate the changing landscape is to run your business with an ‘entrepreneurial attitude’ and not assume you know what consumers want.
Definitions are breaking down and people don’t care about categorisation. They want you to deliver the objective they have in mind by any means necessary.” He went on to describe the key entrepreneurship principles, such as passion, innovation, opportunism and learning, which can help drive businesses forward.
The keynote was followed by an interactive industry panel discussing and debating ideas on topics such as, education, talent development and the new age workforce, the importance of accreditation and the opening up the business events industry. Driving the panel discussion were the Centre’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Angeline van den Broecke; CEO of AOS Conventions & Events, Amos Wong and Srikrishna.
Angeline shared some key take outs relevant to the local context which included the need to go through an ‘unlearning’ process and change the language and terminologies used to help propel the industry forward.
Agreeing with Angeline, Srikrishna stated, “Unlearning is just as important as learning.”
Angeline continued, “It would be very beneficial to also connect more closely with the customer journey and experiential delivery. Ultimately we need to create a movement and engage more with those outside our industry sector to drive knowledge transfer and grow business opportunities.”
“It is critical that we can collectively and consistently demonstrate how business events drive expertise, business opportunities and knowledge exchange. The economic benefits of hosting important meetings and events can only multiply once the investment is made. This in turn, will elevate the country’s competitive advantage,” she added.
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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