KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and Tourism Malaysia have expanded their presence in Central Asia following successful inaugural business events seminars in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, promoting Malaysia as a preferred destination for business tourism.

The seminars, held in Almaty on June 2 and Tashkent on June 4, marked Malaysia’s first dedicated business events engagement in both cities, drawing regional tourism players, corporate representatives, as well as stakeholders from the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry.

Tourism Malaysia Almaty Office director Nor Shazly Azmi said the seminars marked an important milestone in strengthening tourism and business ties, while showcasing Malaysia’s potential as a destination for corporate travel and international events.

“Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan continue to demonstrate encouraging growth as emerging markets for Malaysia. Improving air connectivity and expanding flight options between Central Asia and Malaysia have made the destination increasingly accessible for both leisure and business travellers,” he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, MyCEB senior manager of Business Development Edward Lim Chee Chong said Malaysia sees significant potential for collaboration with Central Asia’s business events sector.

He said the country’s robust infrastructure, strong connectivity and continuous government support offer highly competitive advantages for business events of all scales.

Organised with the support of Tourism Malaysia’s Almaty office and the Embassy of Malaysia in Uzbekistan, the seminars were used to promote Malaysia’s comprehensive MICE ecosystem, with specific emphasis on Kuala Lumpur as one of Asia’s leading business events hubs.

The seminar in Almaty also featured a tourism presentation by Tourism Malaysia Almaty marketing officer Kamilla Chaldanbayeva, showcasing Malaysia’s diverse travel portfolio tailored for the Kazakhstani market, luxury, family, leisure and business travel experiences.

Participants were also introduced to Malaysia’s specialised offerings for conferences, corporate meetings, and incentive programmes, alongside the growing potential of ‘bleisure’ travel experiences that seamlessly combine business and leisure tourism.

The initiative also aligns with preparations for the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, as Malaysia seeks to expand its source markets and strengthen tourism and business linkages with Central Asia amid rising visitor arrivals from the region.

In 2025, Malaysia welcomed more than 43,000 visitors from Kazakhstan, making it the largest source market for Malaysia in Central Asia, while more than 20,000 visitors from Uzbekistan travelled to Malaysia, reflecting growing interest in the destination and strengthening people-to-people ties between the countries. — Bernama