Boosting East African Tourism: 2nd Edition of Uganda – Kenya coast tourism conference launched
Frank Semata 
The Consulate General of Uganda in conjunction with tourism stakeholders in Uganda and at the Kenya Coast have organized the 2nd Edition of Uganda- Kenya Coast Tourism Conference and Exhibition in Mombasa.
This edition will happen in Kenya at Diani Reef Hotel, Kwale County in November under the theme “Consolidating Networks, Synergies & Diversity to maximize the tourism potential between Uganda and Kenya Coastal Region”
The Uganda- Kenya Coast Tourism Conference 2023 will involve excursions at the Kenya Coast and a fam trip to Uganda. There will also be an opportunity for Business to Business Sessions (B2B), to enable participants from Uganda to meet and interact with their counterparts from the Kenya Coast.
Uganda is Kenya’s second biggest source market for tourists. In 2022, 150,900 Ugandans visited Kenya (Source, KNBS, 2023). Out of these, 22,200 visited Kenya Coast, rising from 10,100 in 2021.
Likewise, Kenya is Uganda’s leading source market for tourists. In 2022, 376,294 Kenyans visited Uganda, indicating an increase of over 40,000 tourists from 2021 where 326,387 Kenyans visited Uganda.
The increasing interest for Kenyans to visit Uganda is mainly due to various events that take place in Uganda such as Golf and Rugby tournaments, festivals, music concerts among others. For Ugandans, the main reasons for visiting Kenya Coast are: to enjoy the beaches and the coastal scenery and features; attend meetings and also for education purposes. There is also a growing number of Ugandans who visit Kenya Coast to have their weddings or spend their honeymoon at some to of the coastal hotels.
Participants from Uganda took part in excursions in Kilifi/ North Coast (Gede ruins/ Arabuko Sokoke/ Vasco da Gama Pillar/ Maraf Hells Kitchen) and Kwale/ South Coast. A team from Kenya Coast made up of mainly tour operators also participated in a fam trip to Uganda where they visited the following tourist sites: Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo, Ndere Centre, Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park.
Hon. John Mulimba, Minister of State for foreign affairs (in charge of regional affairs) noted that the 1st Edition of Kenya-Uganda tourism conference exhibited fruits and a resolution was passed to make it an annual event.
“Last year, I was honoured to be part of the 1st Uganda- Kenya Coast Tourism Conference in Mombasa. The Conference was very successful and one of our resolutions was to make it an annual event. I am therefore delighted that we are launching the 2nd Edition.”
He highlighted some of Uganda’s tourism potentials that make it a unique tourism destination on the continent and why missions abroad need to market them rigorously
“Uganda possesses some unique tourism products that can be used to make it one of the world’s leading tourist destinations. We possess some of the rarest primates in the world, Namugongo Martyrs Shrines, Source of River Nile, rich culture, among others. Therefore, our Missions abroad need to rigorously market these products. I would like to commend our Consulate in Mombasa for realizing this potential, by partnering with stakeholders in Uganda and at the Kenya Coast to promote the complementarity among these unique tourism products from the two countries.”
The Minister highlighted some of the factors that have facilitated the increase of travel and tourism between the two nations.
“The increasing number of tourists between Uganda and Kenya Coast has been aided by the improved air connection between Entebbe and Mombasa. Currently, Uganda Airlines operates three (03) weekly direct flights between Entebbe and Mombasa. This is complimented by daily flights by Kenya Airways through Nairobi. Moreover, it is also possible to travel between both countries by road, using national identity cards. Thus, it is possible to leverage on the improved connection to grow the tourism between Uganda and Kenya Coast.”
