Ocean conference set to bolster Kenya coast’s Standing as a MICE destination

The event, which is one of the largest international gatherings held in Kenya’s coastal region, is playing host to an estimated 6,000 delegates elevating the region's profile on the global business tourism map while showcasing its growing capacity to host high-profile international events.

By Precious KAVEZA On Jun 18, 2026

Mombasa’s position as a key Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) destination in the region is set to gain significant momentum following the hosting of the ongoing 11th Our Ocean Conference (OOC11).

Speaking during the conference, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Board member and Chairman of the Kenya Coast Tourism Association (KCTA) Victor Shitaka said the Ocean Conference marks a decisive shift in how Kenya’s coast is perceived by the international conference industry.

“The coast has always been regarded as a leisure destination where people come for the beach. However, this conference is concrete proof that Mombasa has the infrastructure, accessibility, and capacity to host world-class international events that generate high-value business tourism,” Shitaka said.

He noted that Kenya had previously ranked as high as second in Africa for MICE, before slipping to fourth in the absence of new product development adding that the Tembo International Convention Centre, the host venue, represents the infrastructure investment needed to reclaim that ground.

Traditionally known for its beaches, rich cultural heritage and leisure tourism offerings, Mombasa and the larger Costal region is increasingly diversifying its tourism product by tapping into the lucrative business events market.

The hosting of OOC11 – the first of its kind in Africa – demonstrates the region’s growing infrastructure capacity and reinforces efforts to position the Coast as a year-round destination for conferences, exhibitions and corporate events alongside its established beach tourism appeal.

Shitaka highlighted the bleisure dimension, noting that delegates experiencing the Swahili Coast first-hand represent a direct pipeline for return leisure visits and corporate incentive bookings.

“Some delegates have already told me they would be coming back with their families. One is planning a corporate incentive trip for his whole company. These delegates go home and market Kenya and that is a force multiplier for everything we do,” he said.

PrideInn Group CEO Hasnain Noorani said the facility, hosted at PrideInn Flamingo Beach Resort, was built on the conviction that Mombasa needed to be placed on the global MICE map.

“We looked at what Rwanda and Cape Town in South Africa were doing and where conference numbers were going. We felt it was our responsibility as Kenyans to build the infrastructure first.

Now we have the convention centre as well as the connectivity and the hospitality ecosystem needed. The only thing left is to go out and tell the world Kenya is ready for MICE,” Noorani said.

He described Tembo as the only convention centre in Africa positioned directly on the beach, and added that the facility design prioritizes health, safety, and wellness with open-air architecture informed by COVID-19 lessons.

Air connectivity into Mombasa has improved significantly, with Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and RwandAir now operating services into Moi International Airport. Enhanced regional and international air connectivity remains a prerequisite for competitive MICE destination positioning and is supporting the conference sector’s expansion.

Beyond its role in advancing MICE tourism, the Ocean Conference has also sharpened attention on Kenya’s sustainable tourism agenda, particularly at the coast.

The country’s Indian Ocean shoreline supports coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and marine species including whale sharks, sea turtles, and humpback whales, all of which underpin the coastal tourism product.

Kenya will be leveraging the summit to present its active response to documented environmental pressures including coral restoration programmes, mangrove replanting schemes, and community-based coastal monitoring initiatives.