Official: Barack Obama trip to Kenya to rake in millions

NAIROBI: A global economic summit to be attended by US President Barack Obama will shore up the country’s tourism sector with players in the hospitality industry suggesting the sector could rake in hundreds of millions of shillings.

According to Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) Managing Director Fred Simuyu, the hosting of the 6th Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Nairobi will spur economic activity and benefit Kenya.

“The likely impact of the GES to the local economy will be Sh490 million,” said Mr Simiyu in a presentation on the event slated for July 25 and 26 adding that it would bring the world’s attention to Kenya.

The event brings together entrepreneurs, business leaders, mentors and high level Government officials.

“It will be a big vote of confidence to destination Kenya by the US whose president will be attending in person,” Simiyu said.

He said meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) delegates would have higher per capita  spending making the sub sector a prime mover of the economy. MICE is a specialised group of tourism. “Events of such magnitude will definitely increase the publicity of destination Kenya and hence future visitation,” the MD said.

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Simiyu also said the country’s MICE has a daily capacity to attract 147,261 participants.

He added that annually MICE facilities in Kenya attract 7,657,572 with a total of 13,102 meetings being held annually.

Domestic meetings account for 49.9 per cent (6,542) while international conferences that number 813 account for only 6.2 per cent, he said.

While giving a presentation at the 13th edition of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers in Mombasa on Monday, Simiyu said 42 per cent of the workforce in the tourism and hospitality industry, work in MICE sub-sector.

Currently, Kenya’s MICE business is ranked at position 75 globally.

“There are 0.6 per cent expatriate staff here,” he said.

On gender comparisons, majority of those employed in MICE related business ventures are male (61 per cent) while women are at 39 per cent.

Simiyu further said of the total workforce in MICE sub-sector, 86 per cent fall within the age bracket of 18 years - 40 years and 85 per cent of them are holders of certificate and diploma qualifications.

He said in a bid to tap into potential of MICE in the country, KICC is looking at strategies to increase capacity and quality of MICE product offerings.

“We are thus collaborating with strategic counties as well as other Government institutions to develop MICE facilities,” he said.

He singled out the Bomas of Kenya. “Devolving MICE to the counties is a top priority,” Simuyu said.