Sabah Convention Bureau Launches Training Bootcamp Ahead of BE in Sabah 2026 Forum

Ahead of the 3rd edition of the International Business Forum “BE in Sabah 2026”, held at the Sabah International Convention Centre from 4–5 February 2026, the Sabah Convention Bureau (SCB) organised the “Sabah BE Bootcamp” on 3 February.

The initiative was designed to strengthen destination sales capabilities within Sabah’s business events ecosystem.

Puan Noredah Othman, CEO of Sabah Convention Bureau explains: “This Bootcamp is a short,intense and immersive training programme focused on an essential and specific, in-demand skill set – sales and bidding. Sabah’s business events (BE) ecosystem needs a hone a different set of skills to promote and sell Sabah as a business events destination. Through this first-ever Bootcamp, SCB is incubating and empowering our collaborators – government, academia, Sabah chapter members of international and regional associations, BE suppliers – to work in partnership with the Convention Bureau to sell Sabah as the destination for business events.”

The inaugural edition, titled From Leads to Bids, was delivered with instructors from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and consultancy GainingEdge. The programme included practical exercises, case studies, brainstorming sessions and pitching simulations, with participation capped at 50 attendees to maintain an interactive format.

A central feature of the training was “The Buaya Pit”, a simulated bid presentation environment. Programme manager Jane Vong Holmes from GainingEdge explains: “In this Pit, we have only friendly buayas with one aim - to share knowledge in the interest of improvement. Just like the business-themed reality series “Shark Tank” entrepreneurs making a business presentation to a panel of angel investors, the six Bootcamp participant teams presented their “Why Choose Sabah” business case to the ‘decision-making committees of an international convention and a most-sought after international incentive group.”
 

Participants highlighted the exercise as one of the most valuable elements of the programme. One participant agrees: “The Buaya Pit was the most impactful because it encouraged teamwork, allowed us to present our ideas, and receive constructive feedback on areas for improvement.”

Another participant chips in: “What I liked most about the Sabah BE Bootcamp 2026 was the hands on pitching experience, especially during the Buaya Pit, which closely simulated a real judging environment and challenged us to think on our feet.”

Feedback gathered after the event also indicated that peer discussion contributed significantly to learning, with one participant noting he gained knowledge not just from the instructors but also through roundtable discussions while preparing presentations.

Mike Williams, Senior Partner and Senior Consultant from GainingEdge who was the Lead Instructor adds: “I was immensely impressed by the strong turnout and enthusiastic support from across the Sabah community, spanning the business events industry, professional associations, and government. It underscores just how seriously Sabah views the potential of business events.”

SCB intends to continue the programme in future editions with adapted formats. Puan Noredah concludes: “The Sabah Convention Bureau intends to present further editions of Bootcamp with variations to cater for the diversity within our BE community and their needs. Each and every Bootcamp will come with its signature formula: more practical, hands-on training and always knowledge sharing and exchange. For this reason, participant numbers at each Bootcamp will be capped to ensure an intimate and interactive learning experience.”

Sabah BE Bootcamp 2026 was presented by Sabah Convention Bureau with the support of Sabah International Convention Centre and knowledge partners ICCA and GainingEdge.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.