Uganda is set to host the Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Conference at the esteemed Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala on November 20-21, 2024. This groundbreaking event marks a significant step in strengthening tourism ties between Uganda and Kenya, focusing on promoting job creation, inclusivity, and sustainability in the region’s tourism industry.
The conference will take place at the Speke Resort Convention Centre Munyonyo, a premier venue renowned for its state-of-the-art facilities, expansive meeting spaces, and stunning lakeside views of Lake Victoria. Known for hosting high-profile gatherings, the convention center provides an ideal setting for tourism leaders to foster dialogue, exchange insights, and build collaborative initiatives.
Expected to attract over 500 participants, including both public and private tourism representatives from Uganda, Kenya, and the wider region, this conference is led by Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in partnership with the Consulate in Mombasa. It began as an effort to bridge a knowledge gap identified between Kenyan tourism stakeholders and Uganda’s rich tourism offerings. In recent years, Uganda has launched familiarization trips to provide Kenyan tourism leaders with firsthand experience of its diverse attractions. These successful visits have laid a foundation for deeper collaboration, to be formalized at this event.
Guided by the theme “The Uganda-Kenya Coast Partnership: Promoting Job Creation, Inclusivity, and Sustainability,” the conference aims to leverage each country’s unique tourism assets for mutual benefit. Uganda’s major attractions include the world-famous Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to endangered mountain gorillas, and the Rwenzori Mountains, where King Oyo of Tooro recently made history by becoming the first Ugandan monarch to summit Margherita Peak. The goal is to equip tourism stakeholders from both nations with the tools to promote each other’s destinations on the international stage.
Central to this vision is the promotion of the new Entebbe-Mombasa air route recently launched by Uganda Airlines. This direct link between Uganda and Kenya’s coastal region is expected to streamline travel, offering tourists seamless access to Uganda’s lush landscapes and Kenya’s pristine beaches. Previously, the only significant air connection from the Kenyan coast to Uganda was routed through Nairobi via Kenya Airways. Uganda Airlines’ new direct flight aims to facilitate easier cross-border tourism and strengthen the region’s appeal to international travelers.
In the lead-up to the conference, seventy Kenyan tourism representatives will embark on an extensive familiarization tour of Uganda from November 8-18, 2024. The tour will highlight Uganda’s wide-ranging attractions, including the tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the scenic Source of the Nile in Jinja, and the Namugongo Martyrs Museum, a site of deep historical significance in Ugandan culture. These firsthand experiences are designed to give Kenyan tour operators, hoteliers, and other industry leaders a thorough understanding of Uganda’s tourism potential, equipping them to better promote Uganda as a destination to their clients.
The Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Conference will not only solidify this partnership but also underscore the shared commitment to a vibrant, sustainable, and interconnected tourism sector across East Africa.
