Conference tourism boosting Kenya’s image globally

There is no disputing that the soft white sandy beaches that line Kenya’s 536km long Indian Ocean coastline, and our national parks, reserves, conservancies and sanctuaries that are abundant with flora and fauna, are the main tourism attractions in our country.

Other tourism products, including cultural, heritage, eco-tourism, adventure, golf, marine and water-sports tourism, underpin the diversity of attractions that Magical Kenya offers to all travellers.

In addition, the growth in conference tourism in Kenya indicates the huge potential this segment has in its overall contribution to tourism. The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector is on a major growth path globally and no doubt Kenya has begun to enjoy the benefits from this market to our economy and in enhancing the country’s brand equity.

The International Congress and Convention Association, headquartered in the Netherlands, carries out an annual ranking of the performance of MICE tourism globally. In carrying out the ranking, it considers factors such as the number of conferences, the size of the conferences in terms of the number of delegates, the duration, frequency, subject and profile of the conferences.

The country and city rankings play a major role in influencing the MICE organisers on the venues.

Nairobi, voted Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Destination at the 2016 World Travel Awards, has played host to several high-profile meetings and conferences in the last one year that has seen delegates from across the globe flock to the city in large numbers.

This is a clear indication of the high potential that the meetings and conference market has in contributing toward the growth of our tourism arrivals and revenue.

The ease of air accessibility into Nairobi through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is an important factor that provides support to this growing market, as well as Nairobi being the host city of the United Nations Africa headquarters, United Nations Office at Nairobi, and the business hub for East and Central Africa.

MAGICAL KENYA TRAVEL EXPO

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 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 in 2016.

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

Nairobi is now hosting the 6th Tokyo Investment Conference on Africa Development, the first time this conference is being held in Africa since its inception in 1993.

The largest East Africa tourism fair dubbed Magical Kenya Travel Expo 2016 is scheduled to take place in Nairobi from October 12 to 14.

In December, Kenya will host to the second high-level meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation.

Indeed these events have raised and boosted visitor and investor confidence in the destination, as well as positively projecting Kenya on the global tourism map.

Mr Kariuki is the chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board