Kenya eyes MICE market as tourism earnings drop

The Government has stepped up campaigns to make Kenya the first choice for international conferences, hoping that such meetings would in turn boost the tourism sector.

To reduce reliance on visits by tourists, the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism is now bidding for international conferences to be conducted in the country.

Cabinet Secretary Phylis Kandie said the State will be moving away from normal tour and beach safaris to other new tourism products which include Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, a business-oriented segment, involving obligatory (or non-discretionary) travel. Various sources say the market is worth around $30 billion a year worldwide.

“We are emphasising on new products that can help bring in more tourists. We are looking at diverse products like business tourism,” she said in an interview.

Last year, Kenya earned Sh87 billion from the tourism sector, marking the third straight annual decline from the Sh98 billion earned in 2011. The effects of this decline are already devastating thousands of households that depend on the sector through jobs in the hospitality sector.

Heightened terror activity and the subsequent travel advisories issued by several foreign governments to their citizens caused the sharp decline in visitor arrivals.

Insecurity fears fuelled by Al-Shabaab militants, following tens of terror attacks in several towns, have depressed the hotel and travel segments, with some businesses already closing down. Several hotels along the Indian Ocean coast have reported operating at capacities as low as 20 per cent.

successful bid

Already through the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), the Government has successfully bade for more than three international conferences that are expected to earn the country about Sh10 billion.

KICC Managing Director Fred Simiyu said international conferencing and trade fairs will earn the country billions of shillings and urged the private sector to join in bidding for the fairs. This year alone, he said the country has successfully won the bid to host three global conferences that will attract more than 21,000 local and international delegates. “We have attracted huge conferences.This will not only be exciting but will also boost our economy,” he said.