Kigali Convention Center

Kigali Convention Center : Rwanda is one of the most developing country in Africa and its government has prioritized the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) sector as a key economic contributor, as evidenced by the emergence of three high-end convention centres in the last decade. However, the introduction of these high-end facilities has not resulted in increased event numbers, especially at the national level. Particularly, Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) is frequently underutilized. This paper highlights the agreed and diverged roles of convention centres, the relationship between expected impacts and actual outcomes, local capacity building strategies, and the political economy of inclusion in the local industry. Results could inform various private event-sector players, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations that are engaged in or have high stakes in the economic potential and realization of contribution in the Rwandan MICE sector.

The face-to-face nature of human services across a variety of sectors ensures there will always be a demand for events and the physical spaces in which they occur. The services include food and beverage, entertainment, production, transportation, and other traditional business sectors that will need to adapt to the tides of current change. However, critical success factors and ongoing challenges such as occupancy rates should not be limited to national-level usage but extended to all target user levels, including subsectors and foreign direct investment activities. With the right targeting and regional synergies, usage beyond national-level interest can be achieved.

Originally, the convention centres were built to play a temporary role during the duration of international conferences and forums and were expected not to make a significant or sustainable impact on the economy because of the rare international forums. In Rwanda, the convention centres operated on a different mode. Built for the same purpose, it was with the passing of time that some studies and reality changed the perceptions towards these facilities about the opportunities that they offered to the local community through employment, hence bringing a contribution to the well-being of the population.

On one hand, convention centres are not built everywhere. They tend to develop at a specific location, especially in the cities, for a number of reasons related to the presence of quality hotels, the availability of external flights that connect these convention centres, the connections, the political trust of the political environment of the country, and the availability of social facilities. On the other hand, the convention centres also require daily services which are initially available on the day of the events and whenever the need arises for the international and regional forums. The use of these facilities for these activities was initially what convention centre investors had in mind, which they expected to recover within a short period of investment, having in mind that some of the products are at high costs.

Kigali Convention Centre is, without a doubt, an architectural masterpiece that graces the skyline of the Kigali City Rwanda. It was conceptualized by the City in Motion: Kigali structures plan, which was developed by a Singapore-based company. It was later approved in 2009 and finally, on the 9th of July 2012, was officially opened. The location of the centre provides easy access when coming from the Kigali International Airport, as well as easy access to hotels and other businesses within the city. It is comprised of a 22,000 square meter floor area, while the actual auditorium can hold a total of about 2,600 individuals at a go. The first floor of the convention presently is home to offices belonging to the Kingdom of Joy church, the Ministry of East African Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, and Ministry of Trade and Co-operatives, as well as the Nationwide Needy Children.

Other major areas that the convention centre holds include restaurants, tourism shops, entrance lobbies, and scenic terraces, just to name a few. Ideal for business travellers and holiday travellers alike, the airport is located approximately seven kilometres from the centre. Access can be through the national road or via the MTN roundabout that will lead you straight to the centre. If you are coming or leaving the country via the airport and are yet to stay in a hotel, it might be advisable to book one of the numerous hotels in the city centre as they exude class and comfort, three things that Rwandans and everyone else would love to experience firsthand. However, one can take a taxi to one of the hotels around, as they are neat and comfortable.