Why Would Anyone Bring a Congress to Sarawak?

Fair question.

Sarawak is not Singapore. Not Bangkok. Not Seoul. Most buyers at IMEX do not carry a  postcard image of Kuching in their head.   

That may be our problem. It may also be our opening.  The easy thing to say in Frankfurt is that Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) is  expanding.

BCCK2 is targeted to open in 2028, adding 10,755 sqm of new event space,  including a new main hall of about 5,936 sqm, a multipurpose hall and 20 additional breakout  rooms. Together with the existing BCCK, the combined campus will offer 17,526 sqm of event  space, 34 breakout rooms and capacity for up to 15,000 pax, linked by a covered, air conditioned bridge.  

Important, yes. 

But no one comes to IMEX to fall in love with a floor plan. The better question  is whether Sarawak gives an event a stronger reason to be there. For some meetings, it does.  

Water is an obvious one. In Sarawak, water is not a conference theme invented for a brochure.  It is the river beside the city. It is rain, floods, rural access, dams, food, fish, forest, public  health, tourism, infrastructure and climate risk.  

That is why the International Water Association World Water Congress & Exhibition 2028  matters for Kuching. It is not just another event. It tells the market that a serious global  congress can come here when the subject has a real connection to the place.  

The same applies to biodiversity, energy, hydrogen, carbon, tropical healthcare, food security  and sustainable development. These are not borrowed talking points. They are part of what  Sarawak is working through as it grows.   

And that matters. A congress without a real reason to be in a place can easily become a  timetable, speeches, panels, coffee, tote bags, airport.  The better ones have a reason to be there. The destination adds something to the subject. It  gives delegates something to see, question, argue with, and remember. This is where BCCK2  becomes useful.   

Some events need more than a hall and a few breakout rooms. They need an exhibition beside  the congress. Policy sessions nearby. Technical tracks running at the same time. Buyer  meetings that do not feel like an afterthought. Space for students, industry, government and  communities to cross paths without everything feeling over managed.   

Anyone in this industry knows the official speech is rarely where things move.   

It happens after. During coffee tea breaks. In the concourse area. During the site visit. Over  dinner. Sometimes because two people who were not meant to meet end up at the same table.

A venue cannot force that. But a good venue can make it easier.  

So why should a buyer look at Sarawak?

Not for every event. We should be honest about that. But if the event is about water,  biodiversity, climate, energy, health, food security, education or sustainable growth, Sarawak  gives the subject a setting that feels real. A water congress should not feel like the river exists  only on the backdrop slide. A biodiversity congress should not feel like it could be held in any  glass box anywhere.  

A climate meeting should not be so polished that it forgets the people and places climate will  actually affect. At IMEX Frankfurt, there will still be the usual things, brochures, floor plans,  destination updates and meeting slots.  

There will also be Sarawak Laksa at the Sarawak Pavilion, with local drinks. Small detail?  Maybe. But food is often the fastest way to know whether a destination has a real identity or  just a campaign line.  

Come by G200. Ask us about BCCK2. Or better, ask us what kind of congress actually belongs in Sarawak.