Uganda tourism products shine bright at World Travel Market
A mammoth of tourism stakeholders across the globe flocked to the Ugandan stall for an immersive showcase of the country's unmatched natural beauty, adventure activities, wildlife, culture and investment opportunities, all showcased on big screens and interactive sessions during the three-day global expo.
Uganda's stall at the World Travel Market Expo in London. (Courtesy Photo)
During the World Travel Market expo in London, the UTB team, together with a delegation of private sector representatives, paid a courtesy visit to the Uganda High Commission in London. The delegation was received by Ambassador Nimisha Madhvani, the High Commissioner. (Courtesy Photos) Juliana Kagwa (left) the UTB boss during one of the media interviews during her visit to the UK for the World Travel Market expo. Juliana Kagwa, the UTB chief executive officer during one of the interviews with international media during her visit to London this week.
LONDON - Motion images of the rolling hills in the Kigezi region, complemented by the misty dense forests of Bwindi, plus the gorillas and the entire South-Western Uganda, got every visitor glued to the Ugandan stall during the World Travel Market (WTM) that was held in London on November 4-6, 2025.
A mammoth of tourism stakeholders across the globe flocked to the Ugandan stall for an immersive showcase of the country's unmatched natural beauty, adventure activities, wildlife, culture and investment opportunities, all showcased on big screens and interactive sessions during the three-day global expo.
The Ugandan team, led by the tourism minister Tom Butime and Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) chief executive officer Juliana Kagwa, delivered a bustling three-day marketing promotional campaign that provided tour operators, among other visitors, with an immersive taste of Uganda.
The team also engaged international media and strengthened strategic partnerships aimed at boosting arrivals from the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe.
"Private sector representatives, including tour operators, hotels, and destination management companies, joined UTB in holding a series of productive business-to-business meetings, presenting tailor-made itineraries and forging new partnerships with international tour wholesalers, travel agents, and media houses," UTB marketing manager Francis Nyende, who was also part of the team that travelled for WTM global expo, narrated.
The expo also provided a platform for high-level media exposure that elevated Uganda’s visibility on the global tourism stage.
Butime and Kagwa participated in several interviews with major international media outlets, including CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, National Geographic, and the Daily Mail. The interviews focused on Uganda’s unique attractions, from gorilla trekking in Bwindi, adventure on the River Nile, safaris in the savannah parks, to rich cultural experiences and the growth of religious and community-based tourism.
The global coverage generated from the media engagements is expected to publicise destination Uganda and contribute to its awareness in target markets, and attract more travellers.
"Engaging with leading international media platforms in London with global and regional appeal has given Uganda an incredible opportunity to tell our own story in a way that celebrates our diverse attractions, warm hospitality, and unmatched adventure experiences. Through these global conversations, we are reinforcing Uganda’s visibility as a must-visit destination on the world map," UTB head of public relations Dr. Simplicious Gessa said. 
Tourism contribution
Kagwa said Uganda's tourism sector continued its strong recovery in 2024, with international arrivals rising by 7.7% from 1.27 million tourists in 2023 to 1.37 million tourists in 2024.
Quoting the World Travel and Tourism Council report, Kagwa stated that Uganda's tourism sector contributed 6.9% of the gross domestic product (11.8 trillion) in 2019 before it was shattered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"However, by 2024, the recovery share stood at 5.7% of the GDP, reflecting an annual growth of 12.6% despite the faster expansion of other sectors," Kagwa added, expressing optimism that the tourism contribution towards the country's GDP is projected to rise to 5.9% (over shillings 13 trillion) by the end of this year, 2025.
"Therefore, Uganda’s participation at WTM London reaffirms our commitment to positioning the Pearl of Africa as a premier destination for authentic adventure, culture, and nature experiences. This platform allows us to showcase the richness of our people, wildlife, and landscapes to the world, while strengthening partnerships that drive arrivals and investment into our tourism sector," Kagwa said.
According to Butime, Uganda's economy is projected to grow from the current $50b to a ten-fold growth of $500b by the year 2040.
"Under this, the tourism development programme has been tasked with a higher challenge to grow the foreign exchange earnings from the current $1.37b to $50b over the same period," Butime noted. He thus justified Uganda's participation and aggressive campaigns on global stages such as WTM, saying, all such efforts are geared towards meeting the targets as set out in the fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
Source markets
In 2024, India remained Uganda's top overseas market with 34,208 arrivals, while USA held the second place despite a decline in the share. Meanwhile, China rose to the third position, surpassing the UK, whereas Canada moved to the fifth position with 9,688 arrivals.
Among other potential tourist source markets for Uganda are Germany, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Italy, Australia, Belgium and Nepal. Others are Sweden, Russia, Denmark and Türkiye. Within Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan retained dominance.