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TOURISM
Hyatt hotel group wants to tap into potential of Kenya’s MICE sector
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
Well-known international hotel chain debuts in Kenya with a 219-room property in the upmarket Nairobi Westlands neighbourhood.
The giant Hyatt hotel group has made its brand debut in Kenya with the official opening of its Hyatt Regency Nairobi Westlands property.
The Hyatt Regency Nairobi Westlands. Photo: Hyatt
The 219-room hotel is located in a prime spot for business and events in Nairobi Westlands, a residential and commercial neighbourhood known for its many amenities, upper-middle class residents and a vibrant nightlife.
According to a report published in Business Daily Africa, Hyatt is upbeat about growth in the Kenyan market, buoyed by strong demand from the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector.
The report quotes the hotel’s General Manager, Igor Jovovic, as saying: “We are particularly seeing demand from the corporate and MICE segment, which is usually the core business of city centre hotels.”
Milestone in Hyatt’s growth in Africa
Comments Stephen Ansell, Managing Director – Middle East and Africa at Hyatt: “We are thrilled to debut our first Hyatt-branded hotel in Kenya, marking a significant milestone in Hyatt’s growth in the African market – underscoring our commitment to expanding into sought-after destinations and catering to the diverse needs of modern travellers.”
With more than 2,000 square metres of available space, the property offers 10 distinct meeting spaces, facilities for grand banquets and large conferences, and a top-floor ballroom which is claimed to be one of the largest in East Africa.
According to ‘International Meetings Statistics Report 2023’, Kenya hosted 29 meetings during the year, ranking it 60th globally.
“This highlights Africa’s need to tap into this sector, which surpassed pre-pandemic levels last year, faster than previously predicted,” says the publication Southern & East African Tourism Update in a January 2025 article.
“Countries in East Africa are working towards establishing strong national convention bureaus to tap into this revenue and diversify their tourism products.”
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