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PENANG hosted up to 3,391 business-themed events last year with an estimated economic impact (EEI) of RM1.91 billion - a record-breaking number.
Since the formation of the Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), the state has capitalised on tourism by promoting the meetings, incentives, conference and exhibition (MICE) segment.
From 3,391 business events, it marked a 64.7% increase compared to 2,059 events in 2024.
The number of participants surged to 451,198, up 47.8% from the previous year, while total hotel room nights reached 824,505, representing a 47.6% growth.
These achievements collectively contributed to an estimated EEl of RM1.91 billion, said state executive councillor Wong Hon Wai.
He underlined that these figures demonstrated that business events are not only a significant economic driver for Penang but also a key contributor to the state’s long-term development vision under Penang 2030.
It is understood that the EEI is the highest recorded by the state after the pandemic.
“There is potential for MICE growth in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and marine industries. These emerging and strategic sectors present new opportunities to attract high - value business events that are aligned with the long-term economic priorities,” Wong said during the PCEB Business Events Penang 2025 Review at the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC).
Wong said that advancing Penang’s economic growth through corporate and professional events is never the work of one organisation alone.
“It is a truly collaborative effort, involving the state government, industry stakeholders, tourism players, and the wider business events community. Beyond the numbers, I am particularly encouraged by the breadth and depth of sectoral diversity represented. The events hosted spanned fields such as science, engineering, healthcare, sports, legal, languages, and literature."
PCEB chief executive officer, Ashwin Gunasekeran, said that the agency turns insight and foresight into action.
"By using data, market intelligence, and global best practices, we refine our strategies to help our partners transform opportunities into real outcomes and measurable impact across the events ecosystem,” he said. - March 3, 2026.