Tourism conference, exhibition and familiarization trip between Uganda and the Kenya coast scheduled to take place in November, 2022
Theme: “Strengthening Networks, Synergies and Diversity to Maximize the Tourism Potential between Uganda and the Kenya Coastal Region”
Global tourism experienced a mild 4% upturn in 2021, with 15 million more international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) than in 2020 but remained 72% below the level of pre-pandemic year 2019, according to preliminary estimates. This follows a 73% plunge in international travel in 2020, the worst year on record for tourism due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Tourism being a key sector in all economies of the East African Community (EAC), a big contributor to the GDP through export earnings, foreign exchange, and employment, the Tourism Conference, Exhibition and Fam Trip between the Kenya Coastal region and Uganda is intended to create synergies and complimentarily, explore tourism opportunities through a joint marketing strategy, partnerships, and linkages, and tap into the employment opportunities within the travel and tourism trade. These interventions will strengthen networks, synergies, and diversity to maximize the tourism potential between Uganda and the Kenya Coast, hence development of domestic and regional connectivity, attracting large numbers of tourists for domestic markets.
It is against the above background that the Uganda Consulate in Mombasa, the Uganda Tourism Board, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Uganda Airlines, the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, the Uganda Tourism Association, the Kenya Tourism Board, the Kenya Coast Tourism Association, the Counties of Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi, are organizing a Tourism Conference in Mombasa, to be immediately followed by a familiarization trip to Uganda, in November 2022.
On Tuesday, 4th October, 2022, the Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Asiimwe hosted Uganda’s Consul General in Mombasa, Amb. Paul Mukumbya at the PSFU Secretariat to discuss this planned familiarization trip by Kenya Travel Trade and Tourism Influencers who will be in the country soon to market Uganda in the coastal area. The meeting was also attended by the President, Uganda Tourism Association, Herbert Byaruhanga.
The overall objective of the conference is to create synergies and complementarity between the Uganda and Kenya Coast tourism players.
The Conference will be interactive, with presentations and panel discussions which will provide a platform for B2B networking, learning and sharing, equip the key tourism players from Uganda and the Coastal region with first-hand experience of key tourism attractions for them to be better positioned to market these attractions. The conference will also include visits to areas of interest in the Coast. The familiarization trip will be planned and organized by the Uganda Consulate General in Mombasa, in conjunction with key players in the tourism sector in Uganda. The conference and the FAM trip will be conducted in strict observance of Covid-19 Protocols and Standard Operating Procedures of the Republic of Kenya and Uganda.
