Uganda targets stronger Kenya tourism links as visitor numbers rise
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8 – Uganda is seeking to deepen tourism ties with Kenya as both countries look to increase cross-border travel and attract more international visitors to the region.…
Nairobi, Kenya - Uganda is looking to strengthen its tourism ties with Kenya as the number of visitors from the neighboring country continues to grow, according to reports. In 2025, Uganda welcomed 234,556 Kenyan tourists, up 16 percent from the previous year, while Kenya saw a 14 percent increase to 519,041 Ugandan visitors over the same period, as per the Kenya Tourism Board and the Uganda Tourism Board.
This surge has prompted the Ugandan Consulate in Mombasa to advocate for more joint tourism packages that link destinations in both nations. Speaking at the Magical Kenya Travel Expo in Nairobi, Uganda's Consul General in Mombasa, Herbert Kiguli, stressed the importance of lowering costs and other barriers to cross-border travel to boost tourist numbers in both countries.
He emphasized that Kenya's goal of attracting 5 million visitors aligns with Uganda's aspirations, as the two destinations are interdependent in growth. Kiguli highlighted efforts to streamline travel procedures and make cross-border trips more convenient. Uganda is promoting combined itineraries that include popular Kenyan destinations like Mombasa and Diani along with Uganda's attractions such as gorilla trekking and wildlife safaris.
The discussions at the Magical Kenya Travel Expo, which ran from October 6 to 8, will also contribute to the upcoming Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit. Scheduled for October 26 and 27 in Mombasa, the summit will gather over 200 stakeholders from various sectors to address barriers to cross-border travel and explore ways of enhancing tourism cooperation.
The summit will also feature technology demonstrations and business meetings involving tour operators, technology firms, investors, and institutional buyers. The Uganda-Kenya Coast tourism platform, established to foster collaboration between tourism stakeholders in both countries, has already hosted familiarization trips for over 450 tourism professionals since 2022.
The Consulate is inviting Kenyan tourism operators and investors to join a similar familiarization trip to Uganda from November 1 to 8, 2026.
Written by urgent.news from Capital Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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