Uganda, Kenya in bid to promote complementary tourism

Uganda Consul General to Mombasa Amb Paul Mukumbya, said that the number of visitors from both destinations have been growing over the years.

“In 2023 the number of Ugandans visiting Kenya rose from 150,000 in 2022 to 201,620 accounting for 10 percent of all arrivals in Kenya last year,” he said.

Amb Mukumbya, who was addressing delegates from Kenya, further explained that Uganda proved to be the largest Kenyan source of visitors behind the US.

“Similarly the number of Kenyans visiting Uganda in 2023 stood at 490,000, which made Kenya the biggest source market for Ugandan tourism industry,” he said.

“The strategy is going to change, we are rolling out the Uganda-Kenya coast tourism conference, exhibition and fam trips 2024; the other two were successful,” Amb Mukumbya said, noting that the second Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Conference last year attracted more than 500 participants, of which 200 were from Uganda and the rest from Kenya.

“After the conference, we carried out a survey of 112 Ugandan participants, the feedback showed that over 1,860 business-to-business deals during the conference were signed,” he said.

The conference this year is expected to bring on board golfers, which after consultations with Uganda Golf Union and Kenya Golf Federation, has been agreed that the second Uganda-Kenya open golf tournament takes place on November 9 at Kampala Golf Club, the same day the conference will begin under the theme Uganda-Kenya coast tourism partnership; promoting job creation, inclusiveness and sustainability”. 

Mr Stephen Asimwe, the Private Sector Foundation Uganda executive director, said although Kenyans has a large disposable income, Uganda should work on taxes, fix infrastructure and air ticket pricing.

“Tourists will come but we should work on the over 25 taxes in the industry. Also, the pricing on air tickets is still a deterrent,” he said.

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