Ibyimana Cofi
Uganda has called on Kenya to work with it to reduce travel costs, improve connectivity and remove administrative barriers that continue to hinder tourism across East Africa.
Uganda’s Consul General in Mombasa, Ambassador Herbert Kiguli, said the two countries should strengthen their cooperation and market their tourism products as a single regional destination rather than promoting them separately.
He noted that high travel costs, limited connectivity and administrative requirements were making it difficult for tourists to visit both countries during the same trip.
“Our task now is to remove what still slows travellers down cost, access and paperwork so that a visitor to the Coast can add Uganda to the same trip, and the other way round,” Kiguli said.
He made the remarks during the Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) 2026, held at Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum in Nairobi, Kenya.
Uganda Is a Major Source of Tourists to Kenya
According to The Star , Data from the Kenya Tourism Board shows that Uganda is Kenya’s second-largest source market for international tourists, after the United States.
The number of visitors from Uganda to Kenya increased from 201,623 in 2024 to 234,556 in 2025, representing growth of approximately 16 per cent.
Tourism between the two countries has also increased in the opposite direction.
According to the Uganda Tourism Board, the number of Kenyan visitors to Uganda rose from 466,902 in 2024 to 519,041 in 2025.
Combined, the two countries recorded more than 750,000 cross-border visitors in 2025.
Kiguli said the figures demonstrate the significant potential for Kenya and Uganda to develop joint tourism packages and increase visitor spending across the region.
High Airfares Remain a Major Challenge
Uganda’s State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Susan Nsambu Nakawuki, said improving regional connectivity would be essential to unlocking this potential.
She highlighted the high cost and difficulty of travelling between East African destinations, particularly between Uganda and Kenya’s coastal region.
Nakawuki cited the challenges of securing flights between Entebbe in Uganda and Mombasa in Kenya, especially during weekends.
“Usually the money you pay from Entebbe to Mombasa is the same money you pay from Entebbe to Paris. Why?” she asked.
She urged policymakers to address non-tariff barriers that hinder regional trade and travel, while also improving air connectivity across Africa.
Nakawuki said tourists should be encouraged to visit multiple destinations within the region during a single trip rather than choosing only one country.
“We are better off marketing our region as a single tourist destination than going as individuals. We are one people with one destiny, and we should push that as much as we can,” she said.
Kenya Targets Five Million International Visitors
The proposed partnership comes as Kenya targets five million international visitor arrivals by 2027.
Uganda believes that strengthening regional tourism could help Kenya achieve this target while increasing tourism revenues for both countries.
Joint tourism packages would allow visitors to combine Kenya’s beaches, wildlife attractions in the Maasai Mara and hot-air balloon experiences with Uganda’s mountain gorilla trekking, the source of the River Nile and other tourism attractions.
Nakawuki said such packages could encourage tourists to spend more time and money in East Africa.
She added that Kenya and Uganda should not view each other as competitors but as long-term partners in developing regional tourism.
“As Uganda, we are not competition for Kenya, but we are forever allies. We’re here to support Kenya. We are also here to explore Kenya,” she said.
Regional Summit to Address Tourism Challenges
The issues are expected to receive further attention at the fifth Uganda–Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit, scheduled for October 26–27, 2026, at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort in Mombasa.
The summit is expected to bring together more than 200 decision makers from the tourism, technology, government and investment sectors.
One of the key discussions will focus on Article 104 of the East African Community Treaty, which addresses the movement of people, labour and services within the region.
Participants are expected to develop recommendations aimed at improving cross border mobility, strengthening cooperation and making travel between destinations easier for tourists.
The summit will also feature an innovation showcase for youth-led technology companies and business to business sessions connecting tour operators, investors and technology developers.
Since 2022, the Uganda and Kenya Coast tourism platform has brought together tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers and tourism organisations from both countries to promote tourism cooperation.
Its familiarisation programmes have introduced more than 450 industry stakeholders to tourism products and attractions in the two markets.
The Ugandan Consulate is also promoting a familiarisation trip to Uganda for Kenyan tourism stakeholders from November 1 to 8, 2026. The initiative is intended to help participants explore Uganda’s tourism attractions and develop joint travel packages.
The proposed partnership is expected to help both countries attract more visitors, improve regional connectivity and retain a greater share of tourism revenue within East Africa.
Daniel Ngendahimana
Sugira Nsabimana Aime Christian
