NEW AICC BOSS OUTLINES HIS PRIORITIES

BY GRACE MACHA IN ARUSHA

The new managing director of  Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) Ephrahim Mafuru hit the ground running this week by outlining his priorities.

He pledged to use all the resources at his disposal to ensure the country's leading convention centre is back on the rails.

He said he would work with all the stakeholders in the convention tourism value chain to recapture the lost market share.

"It is an open secret that the AICC has lost its shine. We must return to our glorious days", he told journalists after assuming office.

The 45 year old convention centre needs to upgrade its critical facilities in order to remain competitive in the market.

"We have to do a lot to take AICC back to its path to enable it to get more clients and contribute to the economy", he pointed out.

He stated that at the time the management team had been groaning over the impact created by the outbreak of Covid-19,AICC competitors in the neighbouring countries had upgraded their facilities.

"Our neighbours have invested in modern conference facilities. We have to do the same", he said, citing Rwanda and Kenya as examples.

Mr.Mafuru, an old hand in the corporate world, was recently appointed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan as the new MD for the state-owned facility.

The AICC also manages the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam and dozens of residential houses in Arusha.

The position has been vacant for one and a half years after the death of former MD Elishilia Kaaya who served in the position for 16 years.

The new MD said although the conference services were severely impacted by Covid-19, it was now time to reflect on the way forward.

He pledged to work with the stakeholders in the tourism value chain to promote AICC's motto of 'Bringing the World to Tanzania'.

"We will sell AICC as a package to include all sectors in the value chain. We will not work in isolation", he explained.

He hinted on plans to construct new conference facilities in Dodoma, Zanzibar and elsewhere in the country.

Mr. Mafuru admitted, however, that one of his major concerns was on the half empty office block at its landmark structure. 

 

"We will sit down with my management to see how to address this", he said, noting that a new marketing strategy for the centre was desired.

A half of 23,000 square metres of office space at the AICC's main building in the heart of Arusha are empty after the pull out of some major tenants, notably the regional and international organizations.

The centre also has 650 housing units scattered in various suburbs in Arusha since the 1970s and recently constructed residential apartments.

He declined to dwell much on the ambitious project mulled by his predecessors to construct another convention centre in Arusha.

The massive Mt. Kilimanjaro International Convention Centre (MKICC) which was to cost a whopping $ 200million has been on the cards for over 15 years.

However, he was categorical that the AICC, a parastatal under the Foreign Affairs ministry, must operate as a business entity to generate revenue.

 

Before his appointment, Mr. Mafuru was the Head of Corporate Affairs of Kilombero Sugar Company Limited (KSCL) located in Morogoro region.

He joins the AICC with a wealth of knowledge and experience in strategic communications blended with commercial advocacy.

At Kilombero, he had a stint in public and media relations, government relations, compliance and stakeholders' engagement.