Angola has officially launched the Angola Convention Bureau (ACB), marking a key milestone in its ambition to become one of Africa’s emerging destinations for meetings and events.
The bureau was inaugurated on 6 May at the Talatona Convention Centre in Luanda, bringing together around 400 delegates from government, tourism, aviation, hospitality and the international events industry. Senior ministers, investors, tourism stakeholders and international partners were among those attending.
The launch also welcomed Senthil Gopinath, CEO of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), underlining Angola’s growing international ambitions within the sector. Held under the theme “Meet in Angola – The Meeting Room in Africa”, the initiative forms part of Angola’s wider strategy to diversify its economy through tourism, international investment and business travel.
The move comes amid strong growth in Angola’s tourism sector. In 2025, the country welcomed 223,140 international visitors, up 28 per cent year-on-year, with business travel arrivals reaching 59,750, surpassing leisure arrivals at 52,072.
Opening the event, José de Lima Massano, minister of state for economic coordination, described the Angola Convention Bureau as an important instrument for positioning Angola competitively within the international events market. He highlighted tourism’s growing role in economic diversification, supported by visa exemptions for more than 100 countries and ongoing investment in infrastructure and connectivity.
Tourism minister Márcio de Jesus Lopes Daniel positioned the ACB as a platform to attract international conferences and corporate events.
“Angola is prepared to host events of international scale,” he said. “The launch of the Angola Convention Bureau represents an important step in strengthening our international positioning and showcasing Angola as a modern and competitive destination for business tourism in Africa.”
Angola is also targeting the growing “bleisure” market, with Julia Kleber, CEO of the KLEBER GROUP, commenting: “Today’s business travellers are looking for more than conference facilities alone,” she said. “Angola offers something genuinely different: modern infrastructure combined with one of Africa’s most undiscovered and culturally rich destinations. There is a real opportunity to position Angola at the intersection of business travel and meaningful travel experiences.”
Infrastructure developments include the Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport, expanded airline connectivity, and the future Luanda Conference Centre, opening later this year with capacity for up to 3,000 delegates.
