Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah International Convention Centre’s (SICC) Big Sabah Sale which concluded on Sunday saw a good response with about 20,000 visitors during the three-day extravaganza.
SICC Chief Executive Officer Datuk Rosmawati Lasuki said not only did visitors enjoy a wide array of premium goods and services, it was also a conducive platform for local businesses to unleash their potential.
“We have met our target in terms of the crowd and vendors, and managed to garner more than 5,000 visitors a day.
“For the businesses, they had the opportunity to network and do some business matching. Some of them have talked about teaming up and one business offering to do the packaging for another business.
“It was a good meeting place for entrepreneurs and it managed to unleash the potential of the local businesses,” she told Daily Express at the Big Sabah Sale, Sunday.
The sale was held from Dec 15 to 17, featuring more than 250 booths offering exceptional value and premium choices in various categories such as gourmet, lifestyle, electrical appliances and household, among others.
Rosmawati said several exhibitors achieved good sales during the event, with some products sold out.
Overall, she said the Big Sabah Sale, organised for the first time, was a resounding success despite being planned in a short period of three months.
She added that there are plans to bring the event back next year on a larger scale and a wider range of products and exhibitors, in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Ali Inter Group, an exhibitor from Thailand selling premium quality nuts said it was their third time exhibiting at SICC and saw the biggest response from the public this time.
Its Executive Manager Husna said they have achieved their sales target during the Big Sabah Sale which made them confident that there is a demand and big market for quality nuts in Sabah.
For a local exhibitor, BTC Maju Holding Sdn Bhd, the Big Sabah Sale was a good platform to maintain their relevance in the industry. Known for its restaurants and textile business, the BTC group has been operating since the 90s.
Its Purchasing Manager Mohd Daud Salleh said it was also a good opportunity for visitors to discover their newest products.
“We want to sustain our relevance, and the Big Sabah Sale has been a good platform to market and increase the exposure of our newer products. We would definitely exhibit again,” he said.
Another exhibitor, YKL Borong Runcit, a local furniture brand, said the Big Sabah Sale was a good place to market their brand and raise awareness that their business is still running.
Its Marketing Spokesperson Wawa said there is a perception that the business has closed down as its warehouse caught fire last year and exhibiting at the Big Sabah Sale was a good way to correct that perception.
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