Rwanda has potential to earn $40m (Rwf22b) from Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism every year by 2012, according to a new study.

Research done by ‘On The Frontier group, (OTF), a competitiveness consulting firm has revealed that conference attendants in Rwanda are willing to spend between $300 (Rwf 165,900) and $380 (Rwf 210,140) per day.

According to the research failure to develop the full MICE tourism experience could cost the sector (tourism) $128,500 per event.

Rwanda has on the recent past attracted an increasing number of international meetings and conferences, the OTF research said.

The study results were released Tuesday at Hotel Novotel in a one day tourism workshop between OTF and players in the tourism industry to show that Rwanda must invest $343, 500 (Rwf188.7m) in MICE tourism if it is to achieve $40m (Rwf22.2b) over the next three years.

The workshop aimed at providing an overview of the strategy, opportunity and gaps in Rwanda’s tourism industry to leverage on for the meetings, incentives and conferences.

During the meeting the OTF group suggested that $100,000 (Rwf55.3m) should be invested in product development including e-mice tools, re-packaging, add-on experience and upgrading hotels among others.

The group also says that Rwanda needs to invest a tune of $303,000 (167.6m) in marketing, training and setting up the convention bureau. 

"Failure to develop the full MICE experience could cost the sector $28 (Rwf15.5b) million per year by 2010,” said Jeremy H. Kahn of the OTF Group.

The tourism sector is Rwanda’s leading foreign currency earner with statistics showing that the sector earned $137.7 m (Rwf75.8 billion) between January and August this year, an increase of 55 percent in the same period last year.

Of the $137.7m generated by the tourism industry this year, the MICE segment contribution is estimated at $13 m.

The Office of Rwanda Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN), the agency responsible for tourism promotion in the country expects tourism receipts to exceed $148m (Rwf81.8 billion) this year.

ORTPN has since been merged with other agencies to form the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

"Rwanda must develop a dedicated meeting and convention bureau to coordinate all efforts and maximize MICE tourism revenue,” Kahn said.

"The conventional bureau would act as a representative for international conference associations, lobbying for visas and tax incentives”.

He added that all MICE tourism destinations have dedicated conventional bureau, offering a variety of services and coordinating stakeholder efforts.

According to Kahn, the conventional bureau would be charged with joint marketing and research, bid support, centralized e-nice website and linking buyers and suppliers.

The study comes at a time the global MICE industry is estimated at $30b a year, accounting for 20 percent of international arrivals, according to GIBTM meeting research report.

GIBTM is the leading international event for the business travel and meetings industry in the Gulf and Middle East region.

The GIBTM meetings research report also shows that on average, MICE visitors spend three times the daily spend of holiday tourists. 

It also comes at a time statistics show that last year Rwanda recorded 408,482 tourists while estimates show that the number will rise to 884,220.

It was also intended at leveraging online marketing and management tools for the success of the tourism industry in Rwanda.

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