Kenya targets Sh32b in first MICE meeting

NAIROBI, KENYA: The first ever Meetings, Incentive travel, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) in East and Central Africa, which starts in Nairobi on Thursday, has already attracted over 1,000 delegates, the Kenyatta International Convention Centre Managing Director Fred Simiyu told Standard.

The inaugural MICE, initially designed for local players, has attracted over 50 exhibitors from within and the rest of the region besides late entrants from Dubai. The business tourism is expected to generate over Sh 32 billion in multiplier effect.

The Kenya MICE expo will be promoting business tourism to break the over dependence on traditional tourism based on sand and wildlife to make Kenya increase its share of attraction worldwide.

Simiyu said the function will officially be opened by the Cabinet Secretary for East Africa Affairs, Commerce and Tourism, Ms Phylis Kandie this morning at the KICC.

Simiyu added that Kenya must diversify and join some parts of the world that are increasingly becoming the hub of international Trade fairs and exhibitions and in the process generate billions of shillings in their respective countries.

For instance, he says, Singapore hosted 3.5 million business visitors, an increase of 3 per cent over 2012 and earned S$5.5 billion in revenue, without considering other sources of revenue such as sightseeing, entertainment and gaming expenditure).

Simiyu said it is for this reason that through the Ministry of Tourism and Trade, KICC had organised the international event.

"Kenya needs to aim at becoming the MICE tourism destination of choice in our region, the Singapore of East and eastern Africa," said Simiyu.  The East Africa region has not exploited this opportunity to have a major world MICE expo and yet Kenya is strategically located within Africa and between Middle East, Asia and Europe and well served by international airlines.

The MICE destinations, which includes South Africa, are reaping heavily from this niche market. Simiyu said the Kenya MICE Expo is expected to inject billions into Kenya's economy through the multiplier effect of the monies that will accrue to the National GDP. The event will yield even more money from next year when it begins to attract international participants, he said.

He says Kenya is an exotic tourist destination with great weather all year round and expansive choice of accommodation besides its position as an economic and transit hub for Eastern and Central Africa. ]