Uganda puts its best foot forward in the MICE arena with a state-of-the-art Speke Resort Convention Centre⏤ Another Pearl in the Pearl of Africa

Uganda, the Pearl of Africa’s credentials as a competitive destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) recently received a big boost, with the addition of the state-of-the-art and built-for-purpose Speke Resort Convention Centre (SRCC).

The one-of-a-kind Convention Centre features a modern and equipped-to-international-standards convention hall and gallery area that seats a combined 3,800 people. The Centre also features 12 high-end conference/breakaway meeting rooms, 2 VIP lounges and a floating restaurant that can host more than 900 guests, with extraordinary views of Africa’s largest freshwater lake⏤ Lake Victoria.

Meeting spaces are equipped with cutting-edge audiovisual capabilities, high-speed internet connectivity, and state-of-the-art presentation systems.

It also features other key amenities to meet the needs of event organisers and participants for comfort and convenience such as registration counters, a food court and organiser offices. It also features a large parking area that offers a total of 725 designated spots in the on-site parking area that also caters to differently-abled individuals.  

The new Convention Centre is also conveniently located ⏤only 25 minutes away from the Entebbe International Airport via the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway.

The Convention Centre is a joint development by the Ruparelia Group’s Speke Group of Hotels and the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC)⏤ the investing arm of the Government of Uganda.

The Ruparelia Group is Uganda’s largest business conglomerate with investments in real estate, non-banking financial services, education services, hospitality, agriculture and media/broadcasting amongst others. In the hospitality space, the conglomerate’s Speke Group of Hotels owns and runs 13 facilities that include Resorts, Hotels and Apartments, altogether providing more than 900 modern rooms and 45 state-of-the-art conference rooms and meetings, award-winning restaurants and bars, health clubs and spas, and recreation and leisure facilities.

Perhaps, what stands out as the most important differentiator between this new Convention Centre and other convention centres on the continent is its integrated nature. It has been built within an existing 105-acre luxury resort complex that already has two award-winning luxury lake-side resorts⏤ the Speke Resort Munyonyo and Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, also owned by the Ruparelia Group. 

Combined, the two resorts and the Convention Centre bring to the region one of the most competitive MICE assets that blends both elegance and functionality.

Altogether, the facility now boasts of:

• A modern and equipped-to-international-standards convention hall and gallery area that seats over 3,800 people.
• An additional 33 equally well-equipped high-end breakout/conference/meeting rooms.
• 5 ballrooms/ banquet halls3 indoor and 2 outdoor restaurants and bars, serving multiple cuisines
• 2 VIP lounges
• 8 outdoor function venues 
• 476 accommodation rooms including 59 presidential suites

Seamless experiences, peace of mind and a great return on your investment

“From grand ballrooms and high-end conference rooms to a multipurpose hall and a floating restaurant, the Convention Centre provides versatile spaces that can be customised to suit your event’s unique requirements,” says  Mr. Amit Sachdeva, the Group General Manager – Sales & Marketing.

“Whether you are planning a large international summit, a corporate gala, or a focused business meeting, Speke Resort Convention Centre’s flexible spaces and versatile configurations ensure a seamless experience. Speke Resort Convention Centre caters to your needs, bringing your vision to life. We offer up to a total capacity of 19,000 attendees,” he adds.  

Leveraging on the Group’s over 25 years in the industry, Ms. Sheena Ruparelia, a Director of the Ruparelia Group, promises a mix of seamless and great experiences; efficiency and a greater return on your MICE investment. 

“With a team of experienced professionals by your side, the Convention Centre’s events support team is dedicated to providing you with comprehensive assistance every step of the way. From event planning and logistics coordination to on-site management and technical support, the support team will go above and beyond to ensure that your event is executed flawlessly, allowing you to focus on delivering an exceptional experience to your attendees,” she says.

“With our expertise and attention to detail, you can trust Speke Resort Convention Centre to handle the intricate aspects of your event, leaving you with peace of mind and the freedom to shine in creating an unforgettable occasion and meeting your intended objectives,” Ms. Sheena Ruparelia concludes.

Some of the most recent events successfully hosted by the centre this year alone include:

• The 2024 Uganda-EU Business Forum (5th to 7th March 2024)⏤ the largest and most influential joint Uganda-EU event on doing business and investing in the country. It attracted 3,600 online and physical participants, 900 of whom were physical participants and 90 exhibitors.
• The 19^th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit (15th-20th January 2024) and the 3rd South Summit of the G77 and China (21st – 23rd January 2024. The two back-to-back meetings attracted 1918 delegates from 129 Countries. This included 16 presidents, 9 Vice Presidents, 16 Prime Ministers, and seven special guest categories.
• The 27th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), which attracted over 30 parliamentary speakers from the 3rd to the 6th of January 2024.