The latest International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) GlobeWatch Country and City Rankings 2025 has ranked Malaysia 32 out of 142 ICCA-qualified destinations globally, while Kuala Lumpur ranked 29th worldwide with 73 qualifying meetings in a year when competition among Asian meetings destinations intensified.
Robert Hatton-Jones, Deputy General Manager of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, sees the ranking as more than a statistic. “The ICCA rankings are an important endorsement of Malaysia’s ability to deliver world-class international association meetings that create lasting value beyond the event itself. Every congress brings together global experts, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and economic growth,” said Robert.
Malaysia’s business events sector generated an estimated RM4.07 billion in economic impact from 393 business events in 2025, according to the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB). That momentum has continued into 2026: at Malaysia Business Events Week 2026 in August, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said MyCEB spearheaded 194 business events nationwide in the first half of the year, attracting more than 341,000 delegates and generating an estimated RM 1.81 billion in economic impact. As of 30 June, MyCEB has also secured 416 international business events for the 2026-2030 period, projected to bring in RM8.27 billion and lift the sector’s cumulative economic impact to an estimated RM 34.97 billion by 2030.
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre alone accounted for a significant share of the 2025 total, welcoming 756,721 delegates, including 59,013 international delegates, and generating an estimated RM1.5 billion in economic impact for Malaysia.
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