Uganda is hosting the inaugural Africa Destination Celebration Conference and Expo (ADCCE 2026), bringing together event planners, wedding specialists, tourism stakeholders and international delegates under the theme “Africa Unveils Events in the Wild.”
The two-day conference, taking place on 12–13 October 2026 at Speke Resort Convention Centre, Munyonyo, aims to position Uganda and the wider African continent as competitive destinations for weddings, celebrations, conferences and other major events.
Jacqueline Nanteza, CEO of Stress-Free Planner and Wild Celebrations Africa Limited, and Founder and President of ADCCE, says the initiative seeks to attract event planners from across Africa and around the world to discover, experience and promote destinations, beginning with Uganda.
The conference brings together international experts, including wedding planning professionals from France and Spain, among others, to share insights on destination marketing, event management, service excellence and positioning African destinations within the global events market.
The programme features an exhibition showcasing Uganda’s events, tourism, travel and hospitality sectors, alongside keynote presentations and panel discussions focusing on customer care, industry standards and strategies for attracting international clients.
Following the conference, delegates are expected to participate in familiarisation trips to selected destinations, including national parks and other tourism sites, to experience Uganda’s potential for hosting celebrations in both urban settings and natural environments.
Frank Murangwa ( Keynote Speaker), Regional Director of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), welcomed the initiative, describing it as an important platform for bringing industry players together to support the promotion of Africa and the Caribbean on the international stage.
Mannot Estelle Maeva, a France-based wedding planner in France, Italy, Spain and Morocco, also expressed excitement about attending the inaugural conference.
On her first visit to Uganda, Maeva said she was eager to discover the country’s wedding venues, service providers and destination collaboration opportunities.
She noted that Africa has attractive venues and capable professionals who can deliver world-class wedding experiences, adding that greater awareness among European planners and clients could open new opportunities for the continent.
She hopes that the conference will encourage more international planners to consider Uganda and other African destinations for weddings and celebrations.
Dr Ifeoma Okoye, an events educator and academy founder from Nigeria, commended Nanteza for her commitment to establishing the conference, expressing optimism about its potential to generate learning opportunities, business partnerships and meaningful professional connections.
He noted that the gathering provides an opportunity for industry professionals to exchange knowledge, explore different cultures and discover African destinations through the planned familiarisation trips.
He emphasised the need for African event professionals to collaborate, learn from one another and showcase the continent’s capabilities to the world.
“It’s time for Africa. It’s time to show the world what we have,” she said.
Christine Ogbeh, popularly known as Mama Guru of The Wedding Guru, from Nigeria, expressed enthusiasm about discovering more of the Pearl of Africa, including planned visits to Murchison Falls National Park and other destinations on the itinerary.
She said the conference offers international delegates an opportunity to experience Uganda’s tourism potential while building partnerships that could contribute to the growth of Africa’s destination wedding and events industry.
ADCCE 2026 comes as Uganda seeks to expand its international tourism profile by showcasing not only its wildlife, landscapes and cultural experiences, but also its capacity to host weddings, conferences, celebrations and other high-value events.
By connecting international planners with local venues, hospitality businesses, tourism operators and event service providers, the conference seeks to encourage investment, stimulate business partnerships and create new opportunities for Uganda’s private sector.
The familiarisation trips will further expose delegates to the country’s diverse destinations, demonstrating how events can be organised beyond conventional urban venues and into selected natural and tourism settings.