The team behind
Rwanda’s meteoric rise in the meetings and events industry is celebrating ten
years in business - while bidding farewell to one of its central figures.
Frank Murangwa,
director of marketing at Rwanda Convention Bureau
(RCB), has been appointed Regional Director for Africa at ICCA (the International
Congress and Convention Association), having led the RCB since its beginnings
in 2014.
Rwanda’s bustling
capital Kigali is now the second most popular host city for international association
meetings in Africa, behind Cape Town in South Africa, according to the ICCA Country
and City Rankings, which are published yearly.
More than
65,000 delegates were hosted in Rwanda in 2023 – an almost 100 per cent
increase on the previous year – generating US$95m for the country’s economy.
Last year
the city - whose convention centre opened in
2016 - hosted 32 rotating meetings, including the 73rd FIFA Congress, World
Tourism & Travel Council Summit 2023, Women Deliver 2023 and the International
Congress on Conservation Biology.
And Murangwa
said he was hopeful it would not be long before his new employers brought their
flagship event to Rwanda, something he felt was overdue.
Frank Murangwa Photo Credit: Rwanda Convention Bureau
“There are
direct flights from Paris, Brussels, London, visas on arrival and waivers from Commonwealth
countries. There is still a lack of knowledge about the amount of investment
that has gone into the region! I would really love to see the ICCA congress in
Rwanda. Africa is a market that needs to be acknowledged.”
He said conferences
of between 3,000-5,000 delegates were ‘easily manageable’ in Kigali, which boasts
major hotel chains like Radisson, Marriott and Sheraton.
The meetings industry has been
a central pillar in Rwanda’s growth strategy, which aims to lift the country to
middle-income status by 2035 and high-income by 2050.
Since the bureau opened, MICE (meetings, incentive,
conferences, and events) has grown exponentially in Rwanda, and now accounts for
up to 20 per cent of all tourism revenues.
On his new role at ICCA, Murangwa added: "I am thrilled to join this
exceptional organisation and eager to leverage my skills and experience to
drive meaningful impact. I am excited about the challenges and growth
opportunities this role presents.”
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
