Kigali Convention Centre one of the most important investments in Rwanda
Rwanda has set new targets for revenues earned in hosting Regional and International Conferences.
In 2017 alone Rwanda hosted 192 conferences cashing in a total of $42 million, according to statistics by the Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB).
The new target is to earn more than $74 million from conferences this year alone according to Denise Omany, the CEO of RCB.
In the last 7 months of 2018, Rwanda has hosted major conferences such as the Transform Africa Summit (TAS) the 2nd Africa Innovation Summit, Africa Green Revolution Forum and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Good Governance Meeting.
The 30th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly also took place in Kigali.
A total 45 international conferences are scheduled to take place in Rwanda in 2018.
As an addition to this list, Rwanda has also been chosen to host the 7th Africa Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Forum 2019, due to take place in Kigali on March 25th and 26th next year.
“Africa CEO Forum is yet another opportunity for Rwanda’s private sector to meet their international counterparts to discuss business opportunities on the international level,” said Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
“Furthermore, as Rwanda seeks to position itself as the preferred MICE destination in Africa, we believe that the Forum is a great opportunity for Rwanda to showcase to the world, our know-how when it comes to hosting the biggest meetings on the African continent.”
MICE is an abbreviation for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition. Every year, Rwanda sets targets in this tourism component.
a“We look forward to hosting the Africa CEO Forum, we are confident that it will bring great value to both local and continental business people”, Akamanzi said.
President and Founder of Africa CEO Forum, Amir Ben Yahmed, is confident that Rwanda is the right host for the 2019 Africa CEO Forum.
“This seventh edition will be held at the heart of the continent, in Rwanda, a country both Francophone and Anglophone, whose economic dynamism and development model anchored in education, innovation and performance perfectly reflect the values of the Africa CEO Forum”, Amir Ben Yahmed said.
The Africa CEO Forum is organized yearly by Jeune Afrique Media Group, publisher of Jeune Afrique and of The Africa Report.
Over the last decade, revenue from MICE has grown by 180% while the number of delegates visiting Rwanda has jumped from 15,000 in 2008 to 28,300 in 2017.
In May 2018, ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) named Rwanda as the third most popular destination in Africa for accommodating international meetings and events.
