THE €3m (R36m) Baobab Convention Centre at Gemma Dell’Est, which opened last month, is the largest convention centre in Zanzibar with some of the best facilities in East Africa.
It caters for 220 delegates in theatre-style and up to 160 seated at tables. Its breakaway rooms include two boardrooms and six meeting rooms with mobile dividers altering the size of the rooms.
What makes this convention centre unique is that it was built around a century-old baobab tree. Beautiful outdoor water features surrounding the tree make it an unusual venue for cocktails, team building or entertainment.
“The convention centre was designed to attract further business to the country and to the resort,” said Julia Ashby, director of sales and marketing Planhotel Resorts and Hotels.
The hope is that Zanzibar will grow as a destination for the South African Mice market, being only a three-hour flight from SA. Ashby says the average stay for visitors from SA is around three to four nights, and by including the convention centre in its offering, Planhotel is looking forward to SA corporates taking full advantage of the resort during their stay.
