Government Officers Urged to Think of Tourism-Driven Events to Increase Tourist Arrivals   14 May 2010 Mary (second at left) addressing the participants during the opening of Towards Successful Events Management course Kuching, 14 May 2010 - The Ministry of Tourism and Heritage (MINTH) has urged government officers to think of tourism-driven events when organising activities at their various town-levels. The call was made by MINTH’s Principal Assistant Secretary, Mary Wan Mering when she officiated the opening of the ”Towards Successful Events Management” course in Miri today. Events that have tourism-driven elements in them would help boost the State’s tourist arrivals, Mary added when addressing the participants at the event management course. The participants came from Kuching, Sibu, Sri Aman, Limbang, Lawas, Mukah, Sarikei and Lubok Antu. The three-day course held at Mega Hotel, Miri, is organised by MINTH and co-ordinated by UCSI Extension, a subsidiary of UCSI Group. The course is conducted by Kuala Lumpur-based event management trainer Ali Kasa. Besides the tourism-driven element, the participants were also encouraged to look at sustaining the events for long-term economic and social impact. “Once your event has the element of sustainability and is able to attract tourists, then it would  enablethe ministry to provide financial and promotional support,” Mary said. Promotional support comes in the form of listing the events in the Calendar of Events (COE) that is produced annually by Sarawak Tourism Board and distributed worldwide, Mary added. To be listed in the COE, event organisers must plan their events one year in advance, Mary said, adding that the ministry had also informed  most government departments to submit their activities for 2011 for next year’s  COE. From the course, Mary hopes the participants would have a better understanding on how to organise events systematically and to be able to differentiate them as locally-based activities or those of international standards. To give the participants an insight of an event of international standards, they would attend the Miri International Jazz Festival 2010 which is currently held in the resort city.  The two-day jazz festival is organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board and it is now into its fifth year. UCSI Extension had organised a similar event management course last year at four different venues state-wide in collaboration with MINTH.  The course which was held in Kuching, Sibu, Mukah and Miri in November and December last year had attracted more than 100 participants. "Without prejudice to the rights of UCSI the information herein is correct at the time of printing and UCSI reserves the right to make amendments without prior notice." Last updated: 26 May 2010

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