As Uganda gears up for the highly anticipated Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) 2025, which will be held under the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation,” tourism stakeholders are poised to reap significant benefits from this premium industry event.
The Expo, which aligns with Uganda’s Vision 2040, will serve as a powerful platform to showcase the country’s diverse attractions, promote investment in the tourism sector, and strengthen regional and international collaborations.
The Government of Uganda has set a target to grow the economy ten-fold within the next 15 years from the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of approximately US$50 billion to US$500 billion by the year 2040 as it will leverage Uganda’s tourism potential to achieve part of the growth.
Tourism plays a crucial role in Uganda’s long-term economic development strategy under Vision 2040. The government continues to prioritize infrastructure improvements, wildlife conservation, and sustainable tourism initiatives. POATE 2025 will provide an avenue to highlight these efforts and attract new investment into key areas such as cultural heritage tourism, eco-tourism, and adventure travel.
During this year’s Expo, Uganda is set to write a big signature statement at the international tourism level as preparations for the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) 2025 gain momentum. With a set objective to attract a substantial number of international visitors, the expo will showcase Uganda’s unique and diverse tourism offerings, solidifying its position as a premium tourist destination.
Currently, interest among international travelers is already at an all-time high, and POATE 2025 aims to build on this momentum. The expo will provide a strategic platform for travel trade professionals, tourism stakeholders, and potential investors to engage with Uganda’s rich tourism industry.
During the Wednesday, 26th February POATE 2025 Media Launch at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Doreen S. Katusiime, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities said, ‘’POATE 2025 is a key milestone in our journey towards achieving the tenfold growth strategy. This strategy is a vision we have set to increase tourism’s contribution to the world. We want to increase tourism’s contribution to our GDP by 10 or 25 times in the coming years. Achieving this ambitious goal requires collective efforts from all stakeholders, both government and private sector. From the local communities, international partners, and events like POATE play a critical role in realizing this vision.
She added, ‘’By attracting global attention and bringing international travel agents to operate tourism, we are achieving the goal of improving tourism’s contribution to the world and investors in Uganda, POATE 2025 will open doors for new partnerships and investments that will propel Uganda’s tourism industry to new heights’’.
UTB CEO, Lilly Ajarova highlighted that, ‘’POATE has grown into Uganda’s premium tourism and business networking event, bringing together industry stakeholders, global buyers, investors, and media on one platform. it serves as a vital bridge connecting Uganda’s tourism offerings with the world, and collaboration, investment opportunities, and meaningful partnership.
She added, ‘’This year, our theme is tourism and sustainable transformation, which underscores our commitment to driving sustainable tourism, fostering innovations, and ensuring that Uganda remains a must-visit destination for the traveler world over.
Pearl Kakooza, the UTB Chairperson remarked, ‘’One of the key reasons we organize POATE is to showcase Uganda’s beauty to potential visitors from what we consider our emerging or source markets. We sponsor familiarization trips to various parts and tourism destinations of Uganda, carefully selecting participants who we believe will be influential in spreading the message. These individuals are encouraged to share their experiences, acting as ambassadors for Uganda and inspiring others to visit.
She added, ‘’We are also focused on developing new tourism products including Agro-tourism, which combines agriculture and tourism where we aim to move beyond viewing these sectors as separate entities and instead integrate them for mutual growth and benefit. I would like to express my gratitude to the government for prioritizing tourism, placing it at the center stage for the first time. Through the ATMs—Agriculture, Tourism, Minerals, and IT—we are making great strides. This approach gives us confidence in the growth of our tourism sector, and we look forward to continued investment in this area. Our mandate is clear: we aim to grow tourism by tenfold to meet our MDK (Medium-Term Development Goals), and we are determined to achieve this ambitious target.
Dr. Sudir Ruparelia, the Proprietor for Speke Resort Munyonyo and Conventional Centre echoed that the economy has experienced significant growth, leading to an increased demand for big venues to host international conferences and meetings. In response to this need, a joint venture was established between the government of Uganda and their organization. The collaboration aimed to build a state-of-the-art convention center to accommodate high-profile events, including the Non-Aligned Nations – China – South Conference, which took place in January 2024.
He said, ‘’It is crucial to have infrastructure that can support high-profile conferences and meetings. In this regard, Uganda is in a prime position, with conference facilities that are arguably larger and more expansive than those in neighboring Rwanda. We boast a convention center that offers stunning views of Lake Victoria, coupled with an exceptional ambiance surrounded by lush greenery. Furthermore, the on-site accommodation options make it a complete venue for both large and small conferences.
He concluded, ‘’A well-developed convention center attracts a variety of conferences, contributing positively to the country’s GDP. Visitors often travel to Uganda for these conferences, but their journey doesn’t end there. Many extend their stay to explore the country’s rich wildlife and natural beauty. This extended travel benefits the entire economy, reaching even the farmers who provide the food consumed by conference-goers and tourists in a lump sum.
POATE 2025 will officially commence on Wednesday, May 25, 2025, with a highly anticipated Regional Tourism Conference. This conference will underline the critical role of regional tourism in driving visitor arrivals to Uganda.
Regional Tourism Stakeholders Anticipate Big
Regional tourism plays a dominant role in Uganda’s inbound tourists contributing between 80% and 90% of total visitor traffic. The majority of these tourists originate from neighboring countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, reinforcing the need for stronger cross-border collaborations.
The Expo will also bring together local, regional and international industry leaders, stakeholders, and partners to discuss strategies for enhancing regional travel, improving tourism infrastructure, and positioning Uganda as the preferred tourist destination within East Africa. Through meaningful dialogue and strategic planning, Uganda aims to strengthen its tourism appeal and create lasting partnerships that will fuel sustainable growth.
As POATE 2025 nears, the Tourism stakeholders are in high anticipation to benefit from this annual tourism flagship event designed to position Uganda as a leading global tourism destination. The expo provides an invaluable platform for industry players to engage in high-level networking, create business partnerships, and explore investment opportunities. The 2025 edition will host 70 selected international buyers, over 5,000 trade visitors, and a diverse range of exhibitors from around the world, enabling robust Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) interactions.
The upcoming expo will highlight the increasing importance of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism, aligning with emerging global trends in travel and hospitality. Attendees immerse themselves in an exciting lineup of activities including destination marketing presentations, expert panel discussions, media engagement opportunities, and immersive cultural showcases.
In 2023, the East African Community region received a total of 7.64 million tourist arrivals. This represented a 99.1% recovery from the 2019 pre-pandemic levels of 7.71 million with Uganda contributing a market share of 16.7% to the East African region in the same year.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported a significant rise in the number of Kenyan visitors to Uganda, with figures reaching 490,000 by the end of December 2023. This marks an increase of 113,706 from the 376,294 recorded in the year ending December 2022. Additionally, the number of Ugandans visiting Kenya grew from 150,000 in 2022 to 201,620 in 2023, accounting for 10% of all tourist arrivals in Kenya.
On the global front, tourism is witnessing a strong resurgence post-pandemic. According to the 2nd Annual Tourism Development Programme Performance Report – the year 2023 saw an increase in international tourist arrivals. A total of 1.274 million tourists (82.6%) were recorded in 2023, compared to 1.543 million in 2019, showing a positive trend. This represents a 56.4% increase from the 0.815 million arrivals in 2022.
The main tourism source markets for Uganda included Africa, contributing 1.136 million (89.2%) visitors, followed by Asia and the Pacific with 55,975 (4.4%) visitors, Europe with 39,596 (3.1%) visitors, the Americas with 23,643 (1.9%) visitors, the Middle East with 3,983 (0.3%) visitors, and Oceania with 2,939 (0.2%) visitors. In 2023, business tourists made up 13% of the total, visitors coming to see friends and relatives (VFR) consisted of 29%, educational tourists were 6%, shoppers were 4%, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) accounted for 8%, religious tourists were 4%, health tourists were 3%, and volunteers were 2%, while other purposes made up 6%.
Tourism contributed USD2.8bn (5.5%) to Uganda’s GDP and created approximately 610,000 jobs, which is about 5.7% of the national total employment. International tourist receipts grew 48.5% in 2023, reaching Shs3,818.6 bn (USD1.025 bn) from Shs2,751.5 bn in 2022. International tourism also recovered to 88% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023 (a 12% decrease from 2019), with an estimated 1.3 billion arrivals, up by 34% from 2022.
Uganda’s tourism direct gross domestic product (TGDP) increased to USD3.3 trillion in 2023, about 3% of global GDP, similar to 2019 values. This increase was driven by strong domestic and international travel, and Uganda contributed 0.1% of the world’s market share.
The ‘Tell Your Story’ Campaign – Influencers to Drive Tourism Awareness
One of the key highlights of POATE 2025 will be the ‘Tell Your Story’ campaign, aimed at leveraging digital platforms to promote Uganda’s tourism potential. Leading Ugandan influencers have been enlisted to drive engagement and showcase the country’s breathtaking landscapes, culture, and adventure tourism:
- Anne Kansiime – The renowned comedian will use her humor and storytelling to bring Uganda’s tourism experiences to life.
- Jackie Chandiru – The celebrated musician will highlight Uganda’s cultural richness and entertainment tourism.
- Derrick Ssenyonyi – A prominent travel vlogger, he will document Uganda’s hidden gems and adventure destinations.
- Golola Moses – A celebrated sports icon, he will showcase Uganda’s thriving sports tourism and fitness tourism opportunities.
This campaign aims to captivate local and international audiences, encouraging more visitors to explore the Pearl of Africa.
How POATE 2025 will Benefit Tourism Stakeholders
POATE 2025 will create extensive opportunities for various stakeholders:
- Government: The event will enhance Uganda’s tourism policy agenda, boost foreign investment, and strengthen international partnerships.
- Private Sector: Hoteliers, tour operators, and travel agencies will access new business prospects, expand their networks, and market their services to global buyers.
- Visitors and Participants: POATE 2025 will offer an immersive tourism experience, from safaris and cultural tours to business networking and investment opportunities.
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