Lengthy and complicated bureaucracy and administrative procedures are a major deterrent for meeting planners, especially when considering destinations for their conventions.
With the advent of a new One-Stop Shop for meeting planners, the Sarawak Government is determined to streamline service delivery by providing one point of contact within the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage.
This is so that a dedicated liaison exists on their behalf with regard to government service providers; for example in matters pertaining to customs, immigration, protocol, local government and the office of the State Secretary.
Ms. Jill Henry, CEO of the Sarawak Convention Bureau said, “Destinations that provide simple and effective administrative processes for event planners have a definite advantage.
"Time is of the essence for meeting planners; so centralizing the approval processes for all government agencies under one roof makes good business sense.”
The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions (MICE) market is a major focus for Sarawak, and the State is reinventing itself with fresh new approaches and strategies to succeed in this highly competitive global market. In analyzing the situation, the ministry is taking a bold step to gather support from all related agencies to work through the One Stop Shop.
Datu Ik Pahon anak Joyik, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage said “My Ministry is pleased to offer a One-Stop Shop for Conference Organizers to service their requirements in relation to the State and we will proceed to seek relevant support from the related agencies on their behalf.”
He added, “This is no easy task as all agencies have their own policies and regulations to abide by but we need to find innovative solutions to problems; otherwise we will be obsolete in the market.”
The MICE One-Stop Centre was launched by Y.B. Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism and Heritage, in conjunction with the Transforming Sarawak Tourism Performance Conference last month.
