KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda is positioning itself to become a major player in the global meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry.
The country is investing heavily in business tourism, with the Uganda Convention Bureau (UCB) leading the charge. The UCB facilitated the launch of the Munyonyo Convention Center, one of East Africa’s largest conference centers.
The USD 47 Speke Resort Convention Center in Kampala, which opened in January, boasts a 3800-seat convention hall, 33 breakout rooms, 5 ballrooms and 8 outdoor function venues.
“Uganda is no longer limiting itself,” said Lilly Ajarova, CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board. “We’re now bidding for conferences with 4000+ delegates, focusing on transforming Uganda into a global MICE hub.”
Uganda has already successfully hosted several major international events, including the recent NAM, G77, and the Commonwealth Speakers’ Conference.
The country is also set to benefit from the upcoming operationalization of international hotel brands like Marriott and Hilton.
With a national MICE strategy in place, Uganda is poised for significant growth in the sector. The Uganda Association of Conference and Incentive Industry (UACCI) has also been formed to uphold international standards.
The UCB is also providing training to private sector stakeholders in the business tourism industry, to enable them to bid for international association meetings and attract mega conferences to Uganda.
