ASEAN Has Opportunity to Become International Event Hub Through Collaboration

ASEAN is considered to have a significant opportunity to strengthen its position as a destination for international events through collaboration between countries and the alignment of exhibition and conference schedules. This was conveyed by the Indonesia Director of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Mohamed Hafez Marican, at the Southeast Asia Business Events Forum (Seabef) 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday. “This concept can be applied in ASEAN countries. This is just one example of cooperation that can be carried out between member countries,” Mohamed said. He cited his experience attending the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai and the World Travel Market (WTM) Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, where around 20–25 percent of exhibitors attended both events due to their close scheduling and good flight connectivity. According to him, a similar model can be applied in ASEAN given the relatively short distances between cities and countries in the region. For example, the flight from Singapore to Jakarta takes only about one and a half hours, allowing international participants to attend several events in one trip. “Imagine if international events in the region were scheduled sequentially like that,” he said. He added that ASEAN countries need to collaborate more for the common interest. “The key word is cooperation and collaboration between countries, especially between neighbouring countries. That is what is most important,” he said. Previously, Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana stated that since it was first held in 2023, discussions at Seabef have continued to evolve from building and strengthening the business events industry towards a broader understanding of the power of meetings as a driver of tourism competitiveness, sustainable development, and long-term economic value creation. Seabef 2026 carries the theme Beyond Business Events: Redefining the Future of Events as a Catalyst for Competitive, Sustainable, and High-Value Tourism Growth. The event takes place on 28-29 July at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC). Seabef will be held concurrently with the Indonesia Business Event Mart (IBEM) 2026, which runs from 28 to 31 July. Both forums are presented with the aim of repositioning the role of events as key drivers of economic value, sustainability, and innovation, as well as aligning the regional event ecosystem. Through this forum, the Ministry of Tourism hopes to create a strategic platform to expand networks and strengthen collaboration among event industry players, both nationally and internationally.