Uganda and Kenya have opened a Coast Tourism Conference that kicked-off on Monday, November 13-14, 2023, at the Diani Reef Beach Resort Convention Centre in Kware county, Kenya with an aim of promoting the tourism sector of the two regions and popularizing the Entebbe-Mombasa route being used by Uganda Airlines.

According to Martin Bahinduka Mugarra, the State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the conference seeks to assess the progress made in the cooperation between Uganda and Kenya Coast since the 2022 Conference, create more awareness about the two destinations and the tourism products they offer, and promote and popularize the Entebbe-Mombasa route operated by the Uganda Airlines.

“Regional travel has always been a key driver of tourism in East Africa but has largely been reliant on East African residents and citizens. Given the better connectivity between our countries, it will create better and unforgettable experiences for our visitors,” Mugarra noted.

Explaining the strategic importance of the conference to both countries, John Mulimba, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs in Uganda said that, Uganda and Kenya already enjoy mutual brisk business, including tourism, stating that, the conference will both consolidate and accelerate the volume and value of the business relationship.

“The overall objective of the conference is to consolidate networks, synergies and diversity to maximize the tourism potential between Uganda and Kenya coastal region,” Mulimba said.

The Conference is being run under the theme Consolidating networks, synergies and diversity to maximise the tourism potential between Uganda and Kenya coastal region. It will offer opportunities for tourism players in both countries to meet and explore joint business opportunities.

The Conference has been organized by the Kenya Coast and the Consulate General of Uganda in Mombasa, with the Private Sector Foundation of Uganda (PSFU) taking the lead for the private sector, while the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA), Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) are taking the lead for the Ugandan government.

The first Uganda-Kenya coast tourism conference was held on November 17, 2022, and it was agreed that the conference between the two countries be held annually.

A Ugandan delegation of over 200 private and public sector players to participate in the conference are being led by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Charge of Regional Cooperation, and the State Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.