By Joseph muyingo
Uganda’s growing ambitions to position itself as a competitive destination for international conferences and business tourism have received a major boost after Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo was named Uganda’s Leading Conference Hotel 2026 at the prestigious World Travel Awards.
The recognition places the Munyonyo-based facility among Uganda’s leading players in the rapidly expanding Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism sector, at a time when countries across Africa are competing to attract high-value international events.
The award highlights the growing capacity of Uganda’s hospitality industry to host large-scale conferences, corporate meetings, diplomatic engagements and international gatherings, while offering delegates accommodation and leisure experiences under one roof.
Speke Resort Convention Centre has established itself as one of the country’s major conference facilities, combining modern meeting spaces with luxury accommodation and a resort environment overlooking Lake Victoria.
The latest international recognition adds to a growing list of accolades for the property. Earlier this year, Speke Resort was named World’s Best Luxury Convention Resort at the Luxe Global Awards, further raising its profile on the international hospitality stage.
The successive awards come at a crucial time for Uganda’s tourism industry, which is increasingly seeking to diversify beyond traditional leisure tourism and attract more business travellers and international conference delegates.
The MICE sector is considered particularly valuable because conference visitors often spend across several areas of the economy, including hotels, transport, restaurants, shopping, entertainment and tourism attractions.
For Uganda, attracting major international events could therefore generate benefits far beyond the conference venue itself, creating opportunities for airlines, tour operators, local businesses and other players in the hospitality value chain.
Speke Resort’s continued investment in conference infrastructure also demonstrates the role of private-sector investment in strengthening Uganda’s capacity to compete for major regional and global events.
Located in Munyonyo, the facility provides delegates with proximity to Kampala while offering a destination-style environment that combines business, accommodation and leisure.
As competition for international conferences intensifies across East Africa, Uganda’s ability to provide world-class venues, accommodation, connectivity and tourism experiences will be critical in determining its share of the global MICE market.
The World Travel Awards recognition gives Speke Resort another international platform to showcase Uganda’s growing conference infrastructure and strengthens Munyonyo’s emerging reputation as a hub for high-end business and conference tourism.
Beyond the prestige of the award, the recognition is a reflection of the growing potential of Uganda’s hospitality sector to support the country’s broader tourism ambitions and attract visitors whose economic impact extends well beyond the duration of a conference.
