KUCHING: Sarawak has clinched the ‘Best Sustainability Initiative (Destination)’ title at the Meetings & Convention Asia Stella Awards 2026, marking its second victory since 2024.
Determined through public nominations and voting, the prestigious award highlights the state’s intentional design of business events to drive long-term economic, social and environmental outcomes tied to the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.
Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, stated that the repeat win underlines the critical role of legacy in the state’s growth.
“Sustainability must go beyond the environment to include social and economic progress, while legacy ensures that the value created through business events can continue long after an event has ended,” he said.
Deputy State Secretary (Operation) and BESarawak Chairman, Datuk Hii Chang Kee, attributed the success to a collective sector-wide effort, noting that advocacy is rapidly transforming into broad industry participation across the government, organisers, and local communities.
Moving forward, the focus remains on driving widespread adoption and measurement capabilities across the regional ecosystem.
Meanwhile, BESarawak Chief Executive Officer, Jason Tan Chin Foo emphasised that the next phase involves turning this international acclaim into tangible, long-term regional value.
“Our next phase is to drive greater adoption across the ecosystem, ensuring that legacy outcomes are consistently planned, measured and demonstrated, while strengthening the industry’s capability to deliver them,” Tan added.
