New KICC Chairman Nyakera pledges to boost Kenya’s conference tourism

During his familiarisation tour with CEO James Mwaura on Monday, Nyakera expressed his desire to strengthen KICC's role in Kenya's tourism industry and increase its competitiveness in the global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) market.

Nyakera emphasised his commitment to maximising KICC's ability to host business events, which are one of the fastest-growing subsectors in global tourism.

He said his vision includes positioning KICC to compete with popular regional destinations such as Kigali, Rwanda, and Cape Town, South Africa.

When discussing the strategic goals, Nyakera emphasised the importance of supplementing Kenya's traditional tourism strongholds—its beaches and wildlife—with a strong conference tourism infrastructure.

He intends to use the Centre's capabilities to attract a large share of international conference tourism, which accounts for 24% of Kenya's international visitors, according to the Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2023.

Nyakera's strategy includes close collaboration with the KICC board and assistance to other cities in developing their own conference tourism potential.

In doing so, he hopes to increase Kenya's overall tourism output and contribute positively to the country's economic growth.

The KICC's new focus on business events is expected to drive significant growth in Kenya's tourism industry, reinforcing the country's reputation as a top destination for global conferences and exhibitions.