Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) is set to open conference facilities in Kisumu, Isiolo and Mombasa.
According to Kisumu County CeC for Commerce, Tourism and Heritage Dr. Rose Kisia, national government, through the Ministry of East Africa Community has earmarked Kisumu, Isiolo and Mombasa for new KICC building.
Speaking during the signing of MoU between the KICC and the Kisumu County on Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Kisia said that the county government would work through the KICC Secretariat then Kisumu County should have international conference facilities before 2017.
"The experience we had with the devolution conference made us as a county government to tell KICC that yes we are not ready to have a permanent conference centre yet, but there is no harm having something temporary that can host 4,000 to 6000 delegates here in Kisumu," said Dr. Kisia.
The CeC for Commerce, Tourism and Heritage said that there is about three acres of land that can be used as conference centre at the Sunset Hotel as the county still looks for a suitable permanent convention centre in the county.
KICC CEO Fred Simiyu said that the promotion of conference tourism is to enable the sector invest in because the returns expected to be gotten are very guaranteed.
Simiyu said that there has been development of hotel infrastructure in the county but hotels alone cannot support the economic activity of a region.
"You also need the element of supply and thats where the convention centre comes in. We believed through the efforts of the Minister that Kisumu is able to emerge not only as the country's economic booster, but also in EAC as a whole," said CEO Simiyu.
Simiyu added that Kisumu is strategically placed therefore it should be able to tap meetings that usually go to Arusha, Tanzania.