This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
On June 1, 2019, the Africa & Indian Ocean Gala ceremony took place in Mauritius, where the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA) were presented.
Established in 1993, WTA is the travel and hospitality industry's most esteemed awards programme, recognizing excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.
Kenya International Conference Centre (KICC) made its debut in the awards, taking home the coveted Conference Destination Award from Durban, who had held it for nine consecutive years.
According to reports, KICC's CEO Nana Gecaga and the management team spent six days in Mauritius, incurring a cost of Sh10 million. The CEO's personal assistant received Sh300,850, while each of the eight board members pocketed Sh583,000. Nana Gecaga herself earned Sh776,500 as per diem, totaling $7,765.
It has been alleged that KICC paid Sh1 million to World Media & Event's Limited to secure the award. The authenticity of this claim remains unclear, but it has sparked controversy over the legitimacy of the World Travel Awards.
