What does KICC do?
Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), was established as a state corporation on 9th July 2004 and mandated to promote business or conference tourism, which has become an important niche in tourism industry.
The 30-storey land mark of Kenya’s skyline was built in 1969 and the only building in the region with a helipad, boasts of a rich Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) heritage and has hosted high profile conferences which have shaped the destiny of mankind in all sectors of the economy. The center has been aggressively bidding for international high profile conferences hence the high profile events which have been held, and scheduled to be held up to the year 2015
The center has eight unique, fully equipped conference halls with the expansive Tsavo ball room, 26,306sq.ft - the biggest hall in East and Central Africa without any single pillar thus maximizing on its flexibility for various types of events, holding up to 5000 delegates
What’s all about KICC that when people travel have to take photos?
The mention of the name “Kenyatta International Conference Centre or its acronym KICC” evokes different memories in different people.KICC is a 30-storey land mark of Kenya’s skyline that was built in 1969 and the only building in the region with a helipad.The building is an icon in the Country and a heritage to its people.Tradition meets modernity- The Aphitheatre, one of the facilities is designed like the traditional African hut in order to portray the African culture.
What major event has KICC ever hosted?
KICC boasts of rich Meetings, Incentives, Conference, and Exhibition (MICE) heritage having hosted such high profile conferences like the ICANN Conference, AGOA Conference, 5th MIM Pan African Malaria Conference, 7th Global Conference on Health Promotions, the 2nd East African Investment Conference, World Bank conference way back in 1973, the COMESA meeting, Winning Women Conference, 3rd Global YES conference among others.
Before the end of the year, The Centre is poised to host The 56th commonwealth parliamentary conference, ISOCARP conference, just to mention a few.
Does KICC have catering services?
The conference centre is served by two restaurants and a coffee shop of 4 and 3 star categories. These are; Tin Tin Restaurant popular for Chinese and International cuisines, Conference Caterers and Legacy Coffee shop.
In addition, the Centre works in partnership with several other 5 and 4 star hotels and restaurants for conference catering depending on the preference.Some of them are:
Utalii Hotel: The Watamu restaurant offers a varied à la carte menu, live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays in the Shangwe bar. Opening hours: 24 hours.
Nairobi Serena Hotel: Kenya, Indian, Italian and Creole. Main restaurant is Mandhari. Opening hours: 24 hours.
Norfolk Hotel: International culinary cuisine. Opening hours: 24 hours.
The Stanley hotel: three unique restaurants; The Thorn Tree café, The Zen restaurant and the Al Fresco pool deck bar and restaurant. Opening hours: 24 hours.
San Valencia and Intercontinental: International and African culinary cuisine.
The centre has capacity to set up an expansive good court that can accommodate a variety of caterers who are able to serve various menu types from snacks and coffee to formal dinners/lunches
How is the political stability of Kenya
Kenya is politically stable.
How secure is KICC?
Conference tourism is very sensitive to security matters. KICC has put in place firm measures to ensure Delegates and visitors safety while in and around the centre.
The Center is centrally and strategically located in the Central Business District and is surrounded by highly secured institutions like the Kenya Police Headquarters, High Courts of Kenya, Office of the President, among other very highly secured buildings. This alone is a guarantee of security at the Centre.
Inside the centre, KICC enjoys a fully equipped police station to beef up the security of delegates. The Centre is also guarded by internationally acclaimed security firm known as the Bob Morgan (BM).
KICC prides itself in having one of the latest ultra modern electronic security systems that covers all meeting rooms, entrances main gates and all the walking paths in the building.
The Centre has strong walls and several gates with barriers all the way from the main gates to the entrance of the building. After the security check at the main gate, screening of delegates and visitors is done at the entrance to the building.
KICC does not only stress on security, it also ensures safety of every individual in the Centre. The centre therefore has intruder alarm systems that include panic buttons to alert people in case of fire or any emergencies. Firefighting equipment have also been placed at all corners of the building.
For major events especially International ones, other security stake holders including the Government of Kenya come in to ensure security is beefed up all the way from the airport when delegates arrive into the country.
A security committee including Kenya police, the host KICC, Immigration department, Airport security, Protocol security, Emergency response organizations, and the client’s security hold various meetings that provide security oversight.
The committee conducts a risk assessment on crowd risk, fire, catering, noise and cash in transit if any. However for most of these functions, registration of delegates is done online way in advance and identification badges given to them either in advance or on the opening day.
This therefore means that by the day of the event, only the registered and vetted delegates are allowed into the centre minimizing chances of people who may have ill motives, accessing the building.
Who designed KICC?
A Norwegian architect Karl Henrik Nostorik designed the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in 1967. The design combined the traditions, aspirations and the environment of Kenya with the top needs and requirements of conference organizers. The facility was completed in 1973.
What other activities take place at KICC?
Apart from Conferencing, KICC offers other services including:
Offices
The tower block of the building offers office space for the Government Ministries and other private institution.
Banking services
The centre other than being a conference place it also offers banking services to its clients through the Kenya Commercial Bank which is situated in the premise hence easing banking processes as well money exchange thus giving it an added advantage of holding a function at KICC than any other place.
Travel Agency
Due to the corporation’s frequent visit of international visitors, it has a travel agency in the premise through which clients make reservations for their flights easing them the burden of going to the main airport Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Interpretation services
KICC has fully equipped Simultaneous Interpretation Equipment with capability up to seven United Nations languages together with headphones which help the international clients who cannot understand any other language other than their own.
Internet connection
The network which is supported on a fibre optic backbone together with the necessary infrastructure has been laid across the entire KICC premises. The network connects all the floors of the landmark tower allowing high speed digital access of information within and outside the building as well as to the internet. The corporation also has butterfly internet enabled making it very efficient and ideal for any kind of conference or meeting.
Business Centre
Located on the lower ground, KICC has a business centre that offers the following services: courier services, International and local telephone calls, cyber café services.
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