Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre embodies nation’s regional MICE ambitions

The Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) opened in August 2017 and is the country’s largest exhibition centre, with over 45,000 square metres of gross exhibition space. It is also the first component of a high-impact project in KL Metropolis, a city within the city of Kuala Lumpur, where trade, commerce, living space and transport converge over 75 acres (30.35 hectares) of prime land development within Malaysian capital’s International Trade and Exhibition District.

The 628 million ringgit (HK$1.264 billion) facility was designed to meet the growing demands of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) industry. Spanning over three massive double-volume floors, Mitec has nine mega exhibition halls, two medium-sized halls and a ballroom. All the halls can accommodate up to 50,000 people in theatre-style seating and about 20,000 banquet-style.

Mitec’s futuristic architectural design incorporates some of Malaysia’s traditional elements. The structure’s spheroid shape reflects the seed of a rubber tree, which played a key role in the initial growth of the Malaysian economy. Meanwhile, the ornate patterns of the songket – a hand woven traditional Malay fabric - can be seen on the exterior. The venue’s other unique features include a 12,960-square-metre pillarless hall; and big halls with up to 36m high ceilings.

All Mitec’s exhibition halls can be expanded to 180m in width and up to 71m in length. There are direct ramp services to all floors and connected to every exhibition hall; and alongside one of the country’s highest and longest escalators. Mitec is the first venue in Malaysia capable of hosting large heavy industry events, with a maximum floor loading of 50kN to support the weight of heavy machinery and vehicles. The venue has meeting and conference rooms, media and press facilities and organisers’ offices, as well as lounges, retail, food and beverage outlets.

“Mitec is built to be Southeast Asia’s leading exhibition and trade venue, with the ultimate aim of positioning Malaysia as the preferred MICE destination in the region,” says Mitec CEO Gunther Beissel. “It has a capacity and capability to accommodate larger and bigger exhibitions, which was not possible before it opened. Its role is a catalyst for economic impact and job creation for the city of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia as a destination.”

According to Beissel, Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur have long been a preferred destination for meeting and convention planners; however, many have often bypassed the city and destination because of the lack of space provided by existing facilities. “With the opening of Mitec, which is now the third-largest venue in the Southeast Asia region, Malaysia will have the ability to compete in new growing markets, including international conferences and events, particularly mega events which have more than 5,000 delegates each,” Beissel says.