Kenneth Kazibwe


The number of Kenyan visitors to Uganda has increased significantly, reaching 490,000 by the end of December 2023, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This represents a notable rise of 113,706 compared to the previous year, when 376,294 Kenyans visited Uganda.

During the launch of the third Uganda-Kenya coastal tourism conference held in Kampala, Uganda’s Consul General in Mombasa, Ambassador Paul Mukumbya, highlighted Kenya’s position as the primary source market for tourists visiting Uganda.

"The increasing interest for Kenyans to visit Uganda is mainly due to various events that take place in Uganda such as golf and rugby tournaments, festivals, music concerts among others," Mukumbya said.

In the year ending December 2023, the number of Ugandan visitors to Kenya increased significantly, rising from 150,000 in 2022 to 201,620. This notable growth represents approximately 10% of the total tourist arrivals in Kenya during that period. As a result, Uganda emerged as the second largest source market for Kenyan tourism, following the United States of America.

"For Ugandans, the main reasons for visiting Kenya Coast are to enjoy the beaches and the coastal scenery and features; attend meetings and also for education purposes. There is also a growing number of Ugandans who visit Kenya Coast to have their wedding parties or spend their honeymoon at some to of the coastal hotels," Mukumbya said.

He emphasized the significance of the Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Conference, currently in its third iteration, in shedding light on the unexplored tourism potential between the Kenyan Coast and Uganda.

Ambassador Mukumbya explained that the Uganda-Kenya Coast partnership aims to foster synergy between tourism offerings in Uganda and the Kenya Coast.

“This was on realization that Uganda and Kenya Coast have different tourism products which can complement one another. Whereas Uganda has mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, cultural and religious tourism and Kampala night life, the Kenya Coast has beautiful beaches, marine tourism and historical sites. Thus, both countries can work together without necessarily competing to promote tourism,” he said.

The Consul General of Uganda in Mombasa has indicated that insights gained from excursions conducted along the Kenyan Coast in 2022 and 2023 revealed that numerous participants from Uganda lacked familiarity with the tourism offerings available in that region.

“Similarly, their counterparts from Kenya who undertook fam trips to Uganda in 2022 and 2023 also indicated that they were not aware of most of the tourism products they saw.” He said the third conference will build on what has been achieved in the past two years to create more awareness about the two destinations to enable tourism stakeholders, especially tour operators and agents, to sell products that they already know and have experienced.

Clara Ningome Chonga, Minister of Tourism for Kilifi County, recently highlighted a notable increase in the influx of Ugandan tourists visiting the coastal region during the past two conferences.

“I wish to confirm that already, as a tourist destination, Kilifi has seen a gradual increase. There has been a gradual increase in our operators doing business with Uganda, with impressive outcomes so far. Kilifi tour operators have included the Uganda product in their tour package and itineraries with visible increase business,” Chonga said.

The Uganda Tourism Board chairperson, Pearl Hoareau Kakooza, stated that the Uganda-Kenya coastal tourism conference is not just a conference, but a celebration of the vibrant cultures and diverse offerings of the region.

“A collaboration is not just numbers, it is about creating jobs, fostering inclusiveness and also growing our respective economies. By promoting our joint tourism products, we will create opportunities,” Kakooza said.

She highlighted the importance of sustainable tourism management by both nations to safeguard natural and cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations.

The state minister for Tourism, Martin Mugarra, remarked that the onset of the Covid pandemic turned out to be a hidden advantage, particularly for the tourism industry in both countries.

He noted that the conclusion of the pandemic resulted in an increase in domestic tourism, as well as a rise in regional tourism.

The third Uganda-Kenya coast conference is scheduled to take place from November 20 to 21 at the Speke Convention Centre in Munyonyo.

Following the conference, there will be a familiarization trip to the Kenyan coast from November 27 to December 6.

Additionally, as part of the conference activities, the two nations will organize the Uganda-Kenya Coast Open Golf Tournament, which is set to occur on November 9, 2024, at the Kampala Golf Club.