Rwanda's Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) industry recorded $95 million in revenue in 2023, representing a 48 per cent increase from 2022, according to Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB) annual report.
The revenue was generated from a total of 160 events that Rwanda hosted, which attracted more than 65,000 delegates in the year under review. This marks the highest revenue earned in the past decade since the inception of RCB.
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Rwanda generated $64 million in MICE revenue in 2022.
Fred Swaniker, RCB Board Chairman, stated in the report that Rwanda has shown resilience to be a key destination for conferences and events, saying that this will continue going forward.
"Together with other industry players, we have demonstrated resilience and adaptability, underscoring our commitment to creating value and sustaining long-term growth,” he said.
He added, "By investing in talent, infrastructure, and strategic initiatives, we aim to maintain our growth in the global MICE sector.”
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Rwanda’s marketing and branding efforts, in particular, saw the country attract major sporting events.
Sports tourism received a boost in 2023 when Rwanda experienced a notable increase in the number of sports events, with 13,785 participants attracted in 27 events, marking a significant increase of 59 per cent compared to 17 events in 2022.
The sports events include Tour du Rwanda 2023, Basketball Africa League (BAL) Finals Season III, 18th Kigali International Peace Marathon, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, Afrobasket Women 2023, Giants of Africa, and Ironman 70.3 Rubavu.
According to John Ntigengwa, the Country Manager at BK Arena, the Arena witnessed growth in positioning itself as a sports and entertainment hub.
He, however, observed that many international events organizers struggled to localize their promotional strategies effectively, resulting in campaigns that didn’t resonate with Rwandan fans as intended.
"Our team is committed to bridging this gap by actively participating in promotional and programming efforts right from the outset, ensuring a more tailored and engaging experience for the local audience,” he noted.
Private sector, year ahead
Private businesses such as event organisers and managers, production companies, transporters, and advertising agencies, among others, have played a key role in boosting Rwanda’s MICE industry.
Joseph Kabera, Managing Director of Premier Transport Services, said the increase in the number of events hosted in Rwanda propelled the company to acquire new cars, with the vehicle fleet increasing by 60 percent.
The new fleet includes the latest Land cruiser VXR, luxury Hyundai staria, high roof vans and Hybrid sedan cars.
"Our young fleet of vehicles coupled with artificial intelligence initiatives will heighten our service delivery in the MICE industry,” he said.
Janet Karemera, the RCB CEO, indicated that the Bureau plans to focus on enhancing delegates’ experience, strengthening collaboration with key stakeholders, and exploring new partnerships, in addition to attracting more business to Rwanda.
According to the report, more than 90 events are confirmed to be hosted in Rwanda in 2024.
Of these, RCB projects the successful bidding to host 45 events to generate revenues of $32 million over the upcoming years.
Some are recurring annually or biannually.