The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has ranked Kigali as the second most popular city for hosting international meetings and events and Rwanda as the third country in Africa.
The Rwandan capital has retained the place for the fifth time in a row.
“Rwanda’s consistent presence among the top destinations for association meetings highlights its growing reputation as a reliable and preferred host for global events,” Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB) said in a statement on Tuesday, May 27.
The RCB added that the high rankings are a result of several factors, such as Rwanda’s visa-on-arrival policy for all nationalities and RwandAir’s expanding network, Kigali’s position as a home to some of Africa’s leading Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) venues.
These include the Kigali Convention Centre, BK Arena, Amahoro Stadium, and Intare Conference Arena, which offer spaces suited for large-scale conferences and events.
In 2024, Rwanda welcomed over 52,000 delegates attending conferences and events, which resulted in over $84.8 million earned in MICE revenues, the RCB said.
Among the delegates, some 17,000 attended international association meetings, including the FIA Annual General Assembly, ICANN 80 Policy Forum, the International Network for Government Science Advice Conference (INGSA), Africa Food Systems Forum.
“We are pleased to see Rwanda and Kigali continue to be recognized among Africa’s leading destinations for association meetings,” said RCB chief executive Jane Karemera.
“These results reflect the efforts of various players across the events industry and the confidence international associations place in Rwanda as a preferred destination for hosting conferences and events. These rankings inspire us further to enhance our support and offerings for global events.”
This year, Rwanda will also host the ICCA Skills Hub, which will launch two professional training programmes, the Certified International Convention Specialist (CICS) course scheduled for July 15-17 and the Certified International Convention Executive (CICE) courses taking place from October 14-16.
Rwanda’s tourism sector generated $647 million in 2024, according to Rwanda Development Board (RDB). The government projects tourism revenues to reach $700 in 2025.
