More than 70 Ugandan tourism industry representatives — including tour operators, travel agents, hotel owners and officials from the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) — have started a six-day familiarisation tour of the Kenyan coast of Mombasa as part of a push to deepen cross-border tourism ties ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Programme and objectives
Co-ordinated by Uganda’s Consulate General in Mombasa, the delegation will take part in site visits and business-to-business meetings before the Uganda–Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit on 26–27 October at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort. The programme aims to strengthen commercial partnerships and develop joint holiday packages that combine match attendance with beach breaks, wildlife and other regional experiences.
- Delegation composition: tour operators, travel agents, hotel owners and UTB representatives
- Duration: six days, ending with a two-day summit on 26–27 October
- Purpose: develop joint packages and convert AFCON visitor numbers into longer stays
Numbers and targets
The initiative underlines the importance of air connectivity for regional tourism: Uganda received 1.64 million international visitors in 2025, a rise of 19.7% from 1.37 million in 2024, while Kenya recorded 2.7 million international arrivals in 2025. Tourism earnings for Uganda in 2025 were reported at Shs 5.83 trillion ($1.62 billion), with the sector supporting more than 876,000 jobs.
Uganda is already a significant feeder market for Kenya: it accounted for 234,556 visitors to Kenya in 2025, up from 201,623 in 2024. Kenya has set a target of 300,000 Ugandan visitors this year.
Regional event as a driver for air travel
Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will jointly host AFCON from 19 June to 17 July 2027, an event organisers expect to attract more than 1.5 million football fans across the region. Tourism operators are using the tournament window to promote extended itineraries combining football with gorilla trekking, wildlife safaris, adventure tourism and Indian Ocean holidays.
However, the delegation and organisers flagged obstacles that affect conversion of event attendees into longer regional stays. The extracted report lists:
- expensive regional flights
- limited transport connections
- administrative barriers to seamless cross-border travel
“Tourism doesn’t just move people; it moves relationships,”
— Ambassador Herbert Kiguli, Uganda’s Consul General in Mombasa.
Commercial and operational implications
The familiarisation tour and summit are intended to translate regional cooperation into commercial packages that can be sold by travel agents and tour operators. The emphasis on joint products that combine sport and leisure underlines the need for sufficient flight seat capacity, competitive regional fares and streamlined border procedures to enable easier multi-destination itineraries.
| item | figure / date |
|---|---|
| Uganda international arrivals (2025) | 1.64 million |
| Uganda tourism growth 2025 vs 2024 | 19.7% |
| Kenya international arrivals (2025) | 2.7 million |
| Ugandan visitors to Kenya (2025) | 234,556 |
| AFCON 2027 dates | 19 June–17 July 2027 |
The report does not detail specific airline commitments, additional seat capacity or new routes timed to AFCON; the activity instead focuses on industry-level co-operation and product development. Organisers and delegates will be seeking to convert the projected influx of fans and associated travel demand into economically valuable, longer-stay tourism for both countries.
Ambassador Herbert Kiguli urged stakeholders to turn cross-border co-operation into commercial outcomes, stressing the broader value of tourism relationships for trade and employment.
