Radisson Blu Hotel Kigali and the Kigali Convention Centre closed 2025 on a strong footing, recording revenue growth of between 10 and 15 per cent compared to the previous year, despite disruptions to the international events calendar and the cancellation of several large conferences. In an interview with The New Times, Nice Uwase, the Complex Director of Operations at Radisson Blu Hotel Kigali and the Kigali Convention Centre, said the performance underscored the resilience of Rwanda’s flagship hospitality and conferencing hub in a challenging year for the global meetings industry. Uwase, who previously served as Commercial Director and Revenue Strategist at the property, reflected on operational demands, the role of MICE tourism, investments in technology and sustainability, festive season offerings, and early signals for 2026 bookings. Below are excerpts from the interview. What does a typical day look like for you at Radisson Blu and the Kigali Convention Centre? Every day is different, but my role is largely centred on operations. Running a hotel and a convention centre is driven by venues, ensuring they are ready, that maintenance and engineering support is in place, and that all operational teams are aligned. In the morning, I walk through the hotel, review our numbers, expected arrivals, and the events scheduled for the day. I work closely with the front office and convention centre teams to ensure support systems—maintenance, catering, housekeeping—are fully prepared. What guests see is the front-facing side of events. My responsibility is what happens behind the scenes, everything that ensures seamless delivery. How did the hotel and convention centre perform this year compared to last year? It was a tough year, but we performed well. We are ahead of last year by approximately 10 to 15 per cent, which is a considerable achievement. We had expected stronger growth, but several factors were beyond our control. USAID funding cuts affected a number of activities and events, leading to cancellations and downsizing. We lost three major events—two in October and one in November—and several others went ahead with smaller audiences. That forced us to adjust strategy mid-year. Given the circumstances, remaining ahead of last year is a strong result. Occupancy levels stayed in line with last year at around 60 per cent for both the hotel and convention centre. Overall revenue is in the range of USD 30–40 million, which we are satisfied with. How has MICE tourism influenced performance this year? We are fundamentally a MICE hotel. Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions are the backbone of our business. MICE delegates account for about 51 per cent of our annual occupancy. Corporate travellers contribute around 30 per cent, leisure about 10 per cent, with the remainder coming from other segments. In reality, close to 75 per cent of our guests are in Kigali for conferences, whether hosted at the convention centre or elsewhere in the city. MICE tourism remains the core driver of performance for both the hotel and the convention centre. Were there any events that stood out this year? Every client is important to us, so it’s difficult to single out favourites. However, some events carry particular weight because of their scale or profile. The UCI Road World Championships were a major highlight and a source of pride for the country and the continent. Hosting plenaries, opening and closing ceremonies, and related activities was very special. Another significant event was the OIF Francophonie Ministerial Conference, hosted in Rwanda for the first time. While smaller in numbers, it was highly significant diplomatically. We also hosted Aviation Africa, which saw the launch of Africa’s first drone taxi, and the Global AI Summit meetings, which attracted over 4,000 delegates. With more international brands entering Kigali, how does Radisson Blu remain competitive? We welcome the arrival of more brands. Years ago, when promoting Kigali internationally as a MICE destination, buyers often asked how many five-star hotels the city had, and the number was limited. More brands bring accountability across the industry and push everyone to deliver on their service promise. Ours is ‘Yes I Can’. Our guest satisfaction scores reflect that. We hold a TripAdvisor rating of 4.8 out of 5, which is notable given the volume and profile of guests we host. Increased capacity across the city also allows Kigali to host larger international events. What are your latest guest satisfaction scores, and what has driven improvement? On Booking.com, our target was 8.2 and we are now at 9. On TripAdvisor, the target was 4.5 and we are at 4.8. Every guest receives a post-stay survey. We analyse that feedback closely—enhancing what guests appreciate and fixing what they don’t. We also actively engage our Radisson Rewards members. Service improvement is continuous. Have there been any major upgrades or technological investments this year? Yes. Under Radisson’s Brilliant Basics programme, we invested significantly in technology. All meeting rooms now have advanced video conferencing capabilities at no extra cost. We upgraded to HD projectors in large halls, strengthened IT infrastructure, and are expanding access points to support up to 15,000 devices simultaneously. That project begins in January and is part of our long-term service upgrade. What sustainability initiatives stand out at the Kigali property? We are the first and only Green Key-certified hotel in Rwanda. We recycle wastewater for irrigation, have eliminated single-use plastics, and engage guests through sustainability initiatives. We also work closely with suppliers to ensure alignment with our sustainability standards. It’s about shared values, not just compliance. How many Rwandans does Radisson Blu Kigali employ? We have about 540 permanent staff, between 400 and 600 casual workers, and between 50 and 200 interns and trainees at any given time. On an average day, around 800 people are working across the complex. What should guests expect during the festive season? We began festive activities early in December with partner appreciation events. Our Christmas tree lighting is a major highlight—this year featuring a 20-metre tree, the tallest we have ever had. Guests can expect family-friendly activities, festive dining, themed New Year’s parties, fireworks, and an exclusive lounge experience. There is also a surprise element that guests will have to experience in person. What is the outlook for Q4 and beyond? The outlook is encouraging. In the MICE business, we can see six months ahead, and the calendar is already filling up. Many first-time events are returning, which shows Kigali is becoming a repeat destination. In one word, 2026 looks interesting—and exciting.
