Kenyan center feted at World Travel Awards

Nairobi has been named Africa's leading business travel destination, while the Kenyatta International Convention Center has been awarded Africa's leading meetings and conference destination at this year's 26th annual World Travel Awards.

Nana Gecaga, the convention center's chief executive officer, said winning such a prestigious international award is a huge boost and motivation for Kenya's tourism sector.

"This award goes out to all of us in the meetings industry, who work tirelessly to ensure that we are at the top of our game. The awards truly attest to the fact that Nairobi and KICC offers the best MICE experience in the region," she said, referring to meetings, incentives travel, conferences and exhibitions.

Gecaga, who spoke at the Africa and Indian Ocean Gala ceremony in Mauritius, where the awards were presented, expressed her gratitude to everyone who voted for Kenyan brands in the various categories.

The convention center beat various nominees in the category, including the Cairo Convention Center in Egypt; Kigali Convention Center in Rwanda; Palais Des Congress Marrakech in Morocco; and the Sandton Convention Center, the Cape Town Convention Center and the Durban Convention Center, all in South Africa.

This is the first time the Kenyatta International Convention Center has participated in the awards, and took the award from Durban, which has held it for the last nine years.

The award is expected to spearhead Kenya's marketing campaigns' positioning the destination as attractive for meetings, incentives travel, conferences and exhibitions even as the country is embarking on increasing its conventions and conference facilities.

The Kenyatta International Convention Center, which is mandated to market Kenya's conference tourism globally, has over the years worked greatly towards ensuring that Kenya retains its position as the most preferred destination for business events in Africa.

Kenya recently raised its profile owing to the high-end international conferences it has hosted in the recent past, thereby making its bid to host more international conferences much easier.