Balala to name task force for selling Kenya as meeting venue

Utali College captain Timothy Wanjiro serves Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala during an inaugural State House Tourism Summit at State House Mombasa. [Photo: Omondi Onyango]

Buoyed by the recent increase in international conferences, the national government has said it will set up a Convention Bureau to come up with a policy to market Kenya as a meeting destination.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said on Wednesday that a task force would be formed to advise the Government on the formation of the bureau in 30 days. He also said a convention centre would be put up at the Mombasa Beach hotel, adding that the coastal county was ideal such an initiative.

Addressing delegates at the inaugural State House Tourism Summit at State House Mombasa, the Mr Balala named hotelier Tasneem Damji as chairman of the task force. He did not, however, name other members.

“We have seen the growth in conference tourism in Kenya with clear indications of the huge potential this segment has in its overall contribution to our tourism sector hence the need to fully maximise its enormous potential,” he said.

The CS said the country has begun to see and enjoy benefits accruing from conference tourism, which will go a long way in enhancing Kenya’s brand in the global arena.

Records show that in 2014, international conferencing arrivals into Kenya stood at 103,891 delegates, representing 12 per cent of the total international tourist arrivals. In 2015, the arrivals from this market segment grew by 13 per cent to 117,630 delegates, representing 15.6 per cent of the total international tourist arrivals for that year.

Further growth in the conference market is expected this year and beyond.

The most notable major meetings and conferences held in Nairobi recently were the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit held in July 2015, the World Trade Organisation 10th Ministerial Conference in December 2015, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 14 in July 2016.

Last week, Nairobi played host to the Sixth Tokyo Investment Conference on Africa Development (Ticad), the first time this conference is being held in Africa since its inception in 1993.

Convention centre

Ticad VI sought to identify common priorities for accelerating sustainable development, including the growing role of the private sector. The event was graced by 37 heads of State including prime ministers from Africa and Japan at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, the largest convention centre in East and Central Africa.

Balala said that part of a 10-acre parcel of land at Mombasa Beach Hotel would be allocated for the convention centre, which will occupy two acres.

“We are looking at the next three months to have a study complete,” Balala said, adding that it was time for Coast region tourism to rebrand itself. He floated the idea of renaming the region the Coast Riviera.

“Some 10,000 acres of virgin land would be set aside for investors to come and set up hospitality establishments in an effort to rev up the fortunes and admiration of the Kenyan coast,” he said.

Balala also revealed that plans were ongoing to have Berth One at the Port of Mombasa converted into a terminal for modern cruise ships.

TradeMark East Africa and Kenya Ports Authority have pumped in Sh100 million for massive refurbishment works that will see the construction of a cruise berth at the harbour.

“We have a date set for renovations and are looking at having the new terminal ready by August 2017, in readiness for the cruise season that starts in October,” Balala said.

TPS Serena Managing Director Mahmoud Janmohamed welcomed the opportunity to host the summit, terming it beneficial to the tourism industry.