MICE
Cape Town wins International Congress on Immunology 2022 bid
NAIROBI TO OPEN A 10 000- DELEGATE CONVENTION CENTRE
Kenya’ s capital will soon open the $ 561-million Bomas International Convention Centre in Nairobi. The facility will have capacity to host 10 000 delegates, be linked to five hotels and also include exhibition space. Kenyan tourism minister Najib Balala says the new centre will ease pressure on the Kenyatta International Convention Centre( KICC).
The Cape Town International Convention Centre( CTICC) has secured the winning bid to host the 2022 International Congress on Immunology( IUIS2022). Cape Town’ s hosting bid beat other major competing cities London, Paris, Toronto and Mexico City. It will be the first time that the congress is hosted in Africa and the Western Cape will welcome 6 000 international delegates. Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro, the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for the province, believes that the bid win“ enhances Cape Town and the Western Cape’ s appeal as a business events destination and will be a big boost for our local knowledge economy.”
CTICC TO EXPAND
The R832-million construction
on the Cape Town International Convention Centre East is expected to be completed at the end of 2016. The new building will span 31 000 square metres, with 10 000 square metres of conference and exhibition space, which can be divided into six halls, four meeting suites, five meeting pod rooms and two terrace rooms. It’ ll allow for simultaneous large-scale events. A building management system will control the building’ s utility usage and lower the cost of resources. A sky bridge will connect CTICC West to CTICC East.“ We believe CTICC East will also add to the increase in prospective events and conferences taking place in the City of Cape Town, which will, in turn, boost both leisure and business tourism,” says Julie-May Ellingson, the CEO of CTICC.
Travel Update | issue 9
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