Tanzanian tour operators aspire for Uganda's tourism products

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A team of six prominent tour operators and two media personnel from Tanzania jetted into Uganda Thursday morning, May 14, 2026, ahead of the country's signature tourism event: The Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE), slated for May 21-23.

Their visit to Uganda was sponsored and co-ordinated by Uganda's consulate in Arusha, Tanzania, in conjunction with the Tanzanian Association of Tour Operators (TATO).

The group is slated to embark on a six-day tour around Uganda with emphasis on exclusive attractions not found in Tanzania, including cultural immersion, gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, as well as hospitality and nightlife, among other human aspects of tourism products. To this, they aim at driving a borderless future for East African travel.

Henry Kimambo, the TATO vice-chairperson, described Arusha as a tourism hub for East Africa.

"What we have started here now is to connect the tour operators of Uganda and Tanzania to create a synergy in marketing, sales, itineraries and standards. We want to make sure that the tourism guide standards in Tanzania are the same as those in Uganda and vice versa," Kimambo said.

The Tanzanian tour operators and media personnel being welcomed at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. (Photo by Julius Luwemba)

He emphasised that the idea is to prolong the time of stay for tourists who visit East Africa.

Tapping into the market

Ambassador Anne Katusiime, the consul general for Uganda in Arusha, said the trip also aims at tapping into Tanzania's tourism market, which is bigger than that of Uganda.

"For the research carried out, I realised that Uganda is less exhibited on the Tanzanian tourism market hence, by having the tour operators representing their association body as well as a select media personnel, we aim at displaying Uganda's tourism products to the Tanzanian market, especially those products not found in Tanzania," Katusiime explained.

The group is expected to visit Keynela farms in Kayunga district for agrotourism before embarking on gorilla tracking and boat cruise expeditions along the Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Uganda officially participated in last year's Kilifair, Tanzania's signature tourism event.

"Our participation did not only increase visibility but also got direct bookings of Tanzanians who visited the Pearl of Africa while the rest participated in our Rwenzori marathon," Katusiime stated.

"Earlier this year, we participated in the Kili marathon (Tanzania), where we used the opportunity to market our Rwenzori marathon. I am glad to report that we so far have over 50 bookings from Tanzania, for people intending to participate in the Rwenzori marathon, above the 18 runners who participated in the last edition," she added. Upon the completion of their six-day tour, the Tanzanian tour operators will meet their counterparts in Uganda for a business-to-business meeting before attending POATE.

"Parts of Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania were once united by the Bunyoro-Kitara empire. This shared heritage is waiting to be explored by travellers who are tired of overcrowded, conventional attractions. From our cultural similarities to the majestic Virunga ranges- home to the remaining mountain gorillas, there is everything here to fascinate even the most sophisticated visitor," Mary Mugyenyi, the proprietor of Nshenyi Cultural Village, said.

Co-ordinated approach

Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) chief executive officer Juliana Kagwa said East African (EAC) partner states recently undertook a co-ordinated approach to the promotion and marketing of quality tourism into and within the region.

"The partner states thus coordinated their policies in the tourism industry and established a framework of co-operation. Several efforts continue to be geared towards marketing East Africa as a single tourism block, feeding into one of our objectives of increasing the number of days a tourist stays," Kagwa expressed.

According to the 2025 tourism trends and statistics report released last month by the tourism ministry, mainland Africa remains the dominant source market for Uganda's tourism, contributing 79.2% of the total arrivals. "In 2025, tourism receipts reached sh5.8 trillion ($1.6b), reflecting a 21.3% growth, while the average length of stay increased to 8.8 nights, indicating deeper visitor engagement and higher economic impact," Doreen Katusiime, the permanent secretary for the tourism ministry, said.

Tourism continues to play a critical role in Uganda's economy. The sector directly supported 876,512 jobs in 2024, accounting for 7.5% of the total employment and remains a major source of foreign exchange earnings, contributing approximately 16% of the total export revenues.