MALAYSIA Convention and Exhibition Bureau has joined the Hybrid City Alliance – a network of destinations formed to support event organisers seeking to combine physical and online international meetings.
MyCEB will be bringing four Malaysian destinations – Kuala Lumpur; Penang; Kuching in Sarawak, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – to the Hybrid City Alliance, which was formed in December 2020 as more organisers made the switch to digital and in-person events.
The bureau is the first in Southeast Asia to join the alliance and the fifth in Asia Pacific following Seoul, Taipei, Fukuoka and Sydney. The alliance is headquartered in The Netherlands and was formed after Covid prevented international in-person events being held and organisers sought digital solutions to connect delegates across the world.
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The alliance’s objective is to create a value proposition to clients that supports them in the delivery of hybrid events regionally and internationally. With an alliance of convention bureaus in place, the aim is to give event planners ways to connect cities as staging posts for their hybrid events.
“MyCEB is thrilled to join the likeminded global convention bureaus in the Hybrid City Alliance, to work as a team for the recovery of the meetings industry, share our passion and resources and actively collaborate to attract more business events in our city and the region,” said Abdul Khani Daud, MyCEB’s chief executive.
“With this new international alliance, Malaysia’s business events industry is even more prepared to advance feasible digital solutions which will resonates well with our Malaysia Business Events Strategic Marketing Plan 2021-2030.
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“The combined knowledge and experience of the member cities removes barriers, offers solutions and inspires the creation of unparalleled delegate experiences. We are delighted to have Penang, Sarawak and Sabah joining the Alliance and giving commitment to this advancement,” the MyCEB CEO added.
Hana Krejbichová, Hybrid City Alliance’s communications and marketing co-chair, said the network was launched to help destinations to co-operate and find easier ways to organise effective multi-city hybrid events.
“We are pleased to see a still rising interest to join the initiative from various destinations and are very happy to welcome on board four Malaysian cities that decided to enhance the Hybrid City Alliance network that already spans across six continents,” Krejbichová said.
The alliance was formed in December 2020 by the Hague Convention Bureau, Ottawa Tourism Business Events, Prague Convention Bureau and Geneva Convention Bureau.
