Rwanda’s move to become a key conference destination for Africa
Investors in Rawanda’s hospitality sector have pledged to double the efforts and help support the country’s plan to position itself as a regional conference hub, according to a report by The New Times.
Seth Tugume, the Rwanda Hospitality Association chief, said this will enable key players, including the small businesses to benefit from the country’s nascent ‘Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events’ (MICE) industry.
In an exclusive interview with The New Times, Tugume said: “If Rwanda is positioning itself as a MICE tourism hub, it is not only the high end hotels to gain. People who come for conferences can stay in big hotels but will also check out the small hotels and bars for a beer in the evening or go to a night club in town.”
The report says: “In 2014, Rwanda Development Board launched the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events initiative to position Rwanda’s hospitality as a top conferences destination to boost the tourism industry and improve its contribution to national economy, as well as widen opportunities for sector players.”
Rwanda had projected to earn $150m from the MICE sector in 2015, or 16 per cent of all national export earnings and 34 per cent of the overall tourism receipts, under the MICE strategy.
With this growth in MICE tourism, hospitality industry players are expected to enhance their product offering to meet customer demands.
