KICC Aims on Increasing it’s Revenue through Growing Conferencing and Tourism
The Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) convened a forum that saw the attendance of various stakeholders from National Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) to announce new strategies on developing and growing Kenya’s Conference Tourism Sector.
The forum was graced by the Office of Principle Secretary, State Department for Tourism Senior officials in government, the Ministry of Tourism and wildlife, MICE owners in Kenya, CEO’s in Kenya’s hospitality industry.
“Kenya has the best climate, and conferencing can be done at any time of the year with the best rates of charging. Kenya is rated well in terms of existing infrastructure in health. Like Agha Khan. How do we spice up the MICE business in Kenya. There is also the need for continuous modernization of KICC. The use of technology and AI to come in also. Attracting the creative economy is also part of our plan to market the KICC through Filming.” Said James Mwaura, CEO of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
CEO KICC James Mwaura During a Press Briefing
“Today we are here at the MICE Forum at the KICC, and it’s been a very interesting discussion of morning, a very interesting morning with great discussions and understanding the potential of MICE tourism. One of the key things that we have seen today is that there is a huge potential of MICE tourism.
With the current data that we have, Africa as a whole is only hosting 2% of the association meetings that the world hosts. You can imagine the potential and this summer talking about Kenya. This is Africa as a whole, with only hosting two percent out of Africa we have south africa which is cape town we have Rwanda which is the cape town hosts the most number of meetings then coming into Rwanda then we come in as third position which is Nairobi. ” Said Mr. Hasnain S. Noorani Group Managing Director and Founder Pride Inn Hotels.
The Managing Director and Founder Pride Inn further noted, that looking at Nairobi which hosted the majority of the meetings while Mombasa only hosted four or five meetings and then some were host one one or one was hosted in Kisumu that brings about the question that there is a huge potential in growing MICE tourism.
Director and Founder Pride Inn Hotels Hasnain S. Noorani
‘We have been very very aggressive in growing, have many facilities like Sarit Centre also that can host all these various international conferences hotels that have large boardrooms even in the Kenyan coast. We have various hotels that have large boardrooms, which means we have the necessary facilities and amenities to host more of these international association meetings,’ he said.
He added that the major one of the key things that Kenya needs at the moment is a convention bureau.
He ended his remarks by urging Kenya to also work well on hybrid conferencing. MICE industry which needs more infrastructure to grow in various cities in Kenya, Like Kisumu, Nakuru and Mombasa.
About The Author
