Kenya is on an aggressive campaign to reclaim its position as a conference destination after two years of reduced activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This comes as the Kenya National Convention Bureau (KNCB) resumes the rollout of its Meetings Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Blue Print, which was developed in 2019.
The implementation was hampered by the pandemic, which struck in March 2020.
According to the bureau, Kenya its eyeing European countries which research has shown to be largest MICE generators.
For example in Germany, companies mainly in finance, insurance, pharmaceuticals and automotive, have a large share in the outbound MICE market.
They also spend high budgets on events and incentives, KNCB national coordinator Jacinta Nzioka told the Star in an interview.
“These industries predominantly organise kick-off events, conferences and meetings,” she said.
She noted that with the Covid pandemic threshold diminishing, the bureau is optimistic that the rollout of the strategy will continue, helping build the Kenyan MICE brand and attract global forums.
It targets to grow MICE business to above the 26.40 per cent of the total 870,465 international arrivals recorded in 2021.
Data by the Tourism Research Institute indicates 229,804 persons came for business and MICE, the third purpose after holiday 299,802 (34.44%) and visiting family or friends 257,357 (29.57%).
The government formed the bureau in 2019, which placed Kenya at par with Rwanda and South Africa in competitively bidding for major international conferences.
In Kenya, most of the big meetings are currently being secured by foreign organisers, Nzioka said, something the bureau wants to correct.
“This is a sign of little trust on our local organisers. Thus, the bureau is looking forward to bringing the meetings organisers on a platform of certification that are recognised internationally,” she said.
This will be able to give the destination a competitive advantage in terms of bidding and securing meetings into the destination, Nzioka added.
Internationally, the Bureau is currently rolling out brand positioning of the "MeetinKenya" brand.
The Bureau took the brand to the IMEX America 2021, and IMEX Frankfurt in May this year, which are among the biggest trade shows for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry.
In such exhibitions the bureau has potential of making business from agencies of incentive travel, professional associations, corporates buyers and independent planners from different segments of the business travel, Nzioka said.
In this year’s calendar of events, the bureau is eying to participate in the IMEX America 2022 and the IBTM World 2022 – the leading global event for the meetings and events industry.
KNCB is also keen on the domestic market’s public and private sector, and the region, where Uganda remains a key market source for visitors coming to Kenya.
Uganda was the second market source last year after the US with 60.3 per cent of the total 80,067 visitors coming for business and MICE.
Kenya was recently ranked fifth in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)-Africa country ranking for association meetings.
Nairobi was ranked number five on the city rankings, and Mombasa at 13th in Africa.
It was ranked 73 in the continent, in 2018.
The gap in proactive marketing and bidding and general information on available facilities to host meetings, has been cited as an inhibitor to growth of the sector.
The bureau is targeting to propel Kenya to the top 50 MICE destination globally, and at least top two in Africa in the short-medium-term.
It is estimated that every international delegate spends at least Sh370,000 per conference trip of about three to six days, reflecting the huge potential MICE holds for the economy.
Meanwhile, Tourism CS Najib Balala has projected full recovery for the industry to be in 2025, although numbers are expected to go back to above the one million mark this year.
Earnings are projected at atleast Sh172.9 billion from last year’s 146.5 billion.
Fitch Ratings also forecasts Kenya’s tourism sector will hit peak in 2025.
The ratings and research firm projects a stronger growth of 47.3 per cent for 2022, as the recovery in global travel gains traction.
A further double-digit growth is expected through to 2025 which will take international arrivals to above 2.2 million.
WATCH: The biggest news in African Business
