The government of Kenya has announced plans to develop the largest convention centre in Africa, the Bomas International Convention and Exhibition Centre (BICEC) through a PPP project.

The project will upgrade and develop the existing Bomas of Kenya into de BICEC that will meet the International Association of Convention Centers (AIPC) standards. The BICEC will be strategically placed at 11 kilometres from the city centre.

The new facilities will include a conference centre with a capacity of hosting 10,000 delegates, 15,000 exhibition space, five luxurious hotels with a total capacity of 2,000 beds, presidential pavilions, VIP pavilions, fully furnished apartments, coffee shops and business centres among others.

The total project investment is estimated at US$561 million.

A tender process to hire a Transaction Advisor was issued in March this year but there are no news regarding the potential appointment of a selected team. Construction works are scheduled to start in 2015.

Kenya is using South Africa's Cape Town International Convention Centre and London's World Travel Market Centre as benchmarks of this project, which aims to attract business travellers.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie stated:

We need to go big on convention and conference tourism. We also need to make more hay out of cultural tourism and you will see more cultural festivals in partnership with the counties as well.