Next to New York and Brussels, Addis Ababa is the third international city in hosting various international and continental organizations’ conferences attended by a huge number of participants.
Attendees of different conferences and different regular, annual and extraordinary summits organized by African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) gush to Addis.
Having such opportunities of hosting international and regional conferences would be an impetus to tap the budding conference tourism sector’s potential.
Experts recommend seeing to the fulfillment of key requirements towards tapping the potential of conference tourism.
Ozzie Business and Hospitality Group Founder and Managing Director Kumneger Teketel told The Ethiopian Herald that Ethiopia needs put in place a well established National Convention Center (NCC) and Visitors Bureau in a bid to optimize returns from conference tourism sector.
We have submitted a proposal to the government regarding institutionalizing a modern National Convention Center (NCC) in the country, he added.
Thus, the birth of this organization will bring a remarkable financial bonanza to the country parallel to facilitating conference tourism, he indicated.
“The formation of various professional-centered-think-thank-advisory groups for different sectors should be the other priority to encourage the private sector’s participation in conference tourism. Motivating the sector obligates focal attention”, he recommended.
Addis Ababa Culture and Tourism Bureau Communication Directorate Director Worku Mengesha told The Ethiopian Herald that the city administration has already finalized preparations to construct multipurpose and international standard National Convention Center (NCC). Location identification is also being undertaken to launch the project soon, he added.
As to him, having NCC will be an allurement towards international and regional conferences.
“The absence of National Convention Center (NCC) in the country had not affected the country’s tourism before. Currently, the city administration uses the African Union (AU), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and other standardized convention centers for international and regional conferences”, he noted.
According to him, the NCC is slated to actualize by 2025, he said.
Recently, the 7th Hotel Show Africa Hotel and Tourism Investment Expo was held here. It attracted more than 140 companies that came up with plus to 500 brands. Over 10,000 participants had visited the expo, Kumneger said.
According to him, his consultancy firm undertook the responsibility of hosting the event, which inspired the international society and investors to come on board.
This regional hotel exhibition was aimed at encouraging international investors to come together and deliberate on strengthening the manufacturing sector, deliberate on construction issues as well as become an opportunity to strengthen the private investors’ active engagements.
The Ethiopian Herald July7/2019
BY TEWODROS KASSA
