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The Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC).
During the Cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto at Sagana State Lodge on August 8, the government noted the move will position Kenya as the destination of choice for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism.
The ultra-modern convention centre will feature a conference centre, a presidential pavilion and at least five hotels.
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Cabinet meeting at Sagana State Lodge on August 8, 2023
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It is expected to further the growth of conference tourism, hospitality, and event and aviation industries as set out in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
This project is expected to complement the existing Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi that was built in 1973.
"This State initiative, fifty years after the groundbreaking of Kenya's first international convention centre (KICC), is expected to further the growth of conference tourism, hospitality, and event and aviation industries as set out in the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA)," the statement from Cabinet read in part.
READ: Untold story behind teacher who created Kenyatta's KICC statue
The plan to establish BICC has been in the works since 2015 and was tipped to become Africa's biggest convention centre.
The BICC will be built on the 82-acre piece of land at the Bomas of Kenya complex in Nairobi.
Bomas of Kenya currently has a capacity of 2,500 delegates and this is going to be the first and largest face-lift at the facility since its inception by the government in 1971.
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Cabinet meeting at Sagana State Lodge on August 8, 2023
Bomas makes millions for hiring out the venue for companies' annual general meetings as well as political events.
With the new facility, Bomas expects to take a huge chunk of the business and conference tourism in Africa.