Uganda will host the inaugural Africa Destination Celebrations Conference and Expo (ADCCE) from March 23 to 27, 2026, in Kampala, a landmark continental event aimed at positioning Africa as a global leader in destination celebrations, luxury events and experiential travel.
The conference and expo will take place at the Speke Resort Munyonyo Convention Centre and will be Africa’s first dedicated platform focused exclusively on the destination celebrations and luxury events economy.
Organisers say the event is expected to attract international buyers, African suppliers, investors, tourism authorities, media professionals and creative industry leaders, creating a major marketplace for collaboration, trade and global visibility for Africa’s growing events and tourism sector.
Speaking during the official launch, Mellon Tukeikiriza, Senior MICE Officer at the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), said hosting ADCCE aligns with Uganda’s National MICE Strategy and the recently launched National Tourism Policy.
“This event directly supports Uganda’s vision to grow Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism while positioning the country as a competitive destination for high-value international events,” Tukeikiriza said.
Designed as a multi-day industry gathering, ADCCE 2026 will feature conferences and keynote addresses, expert-led masterclasses and panel discussions, a curated exhibition showcase, structured business-to-business matchmaking meetings, VIP networking experiences and immersive cultural programming. Delegates will also take part in familiarisation trips showcasing Uganda’s tourism offerings.
Peter Kaggwa, Chairman of the Uganda Association for Conference and Incentive Industry, said the expo will play a key role in strengthening Uganda’s meetings and events ecosystem by connecting local players to international markets and opportunities.
The conference and expo will officially open with “The Sounds of Africa Welcome Dinner,” a VIP cultural evening celebrating African music, cuisine, fashion and storytelling traditions.
The event will conclude with the Africa Destination Awards Gala, dubbed “The Ice Ball,” to be held at the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa, where excellence and innovation in Africa’s destination celebrations and luxury events industry will be recognised.
Jackline Nanteza, president of ADCCE, said the conference and expo will be held annually and rotate across the continent, with Uganda hosting the first edition.
“ADCCE was formed in Uganda, and as the first host, we have a responsibility to showcase what Uganda represents in terms of culture, hospitality and destinations,” Nanteza said.
She explained that ADCCE brings together event planners, designers, stylists, tour operators and creative professionals, creating a single ecosystem where international event planners can discover Africa’s full event-hosting potential.
“This expo is not just about tourism; it is a merger of events and tourism. When a guest is seeking a destination for an event, everything they need will be in one place,” she said.
After the expo, international delegates will take part in curated post-event familiarisation trips across Uganda, including gorilla trekking experiences, boat cruises on Lake Victoria and the River Nile, island retreats and wilderness dining, cultural heritage tours and adventure tourism experiences.
Organisers note that while global trade shows such as IMEX, IBTM, EWPC and DWP dominate the international events calendar, Africa has lacked a dedicated platform focused solely on destination celebrations and luxury events.
ADCCE aims to fill that gap by spotlighting Africa’s landscapes, wildlife, cultural heritage, creative industries and hospitality while delivering economic impact across tourism, aviation, transport, hospitality and cultural sectors.
For Uganda, hosting ADCCE is expected to boost national brand visibility and strengthen the country’s positioning as a competitive global destination for celebration tourism.
The long-term vision of ADCCE is to establish a premier Pan-African platform, with future editions rotating among destinations including Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Rwanda and South Africa.
