Ahead of the official opening ceremony, last evening, the Uganda High Commission- Kigali and UTB hosted a Uganda Night at the Chancery in Kacyiru and unveiled the new Pearl of Africa Destination brand to over half a million potential travelers in the city of a thousand hills. Uganda’s tourism private sector will also participate in networking opportunities during the Street Festival that will showcase Uganda’s unique cuisine, culture and tourism potential in partnership with the Uganda Tourism Association.

Rwanda is the second leading source market for Uganda after Kenya fetching over 22,660 tourists in 2020 following a significant decline in arrivals in 2019. Both countries share common transboundary ethnicity, history, culture and natural resources. Therefore, these shared resources and heritage call for collective marketing and tourism product development through collaborative transboundary interventions.

“Uganda’s participation in CHOGM 2022 is an excellent opportunity to promote Uganda’s tourism opportunities under the “Explore Uganda” destination brand and to communicate to CHOGM 20022 delegates about the transboundary tourism products between the two nations” Amb. Anne Katusiime, Uganda’ Deputy High Commissioner to Kigali, Rwanda.

On her part, Ms Lilly Ajarova, the UTB CEO applauded the Uganda High Commission in Kacyiru, Kigali for spearheading Uganda’s tourism promotion during the CHOGM 2022. “The event and its side activities will create amazing tourism opportunities for Uganda’s public and private sector stakeholders but also promote intra-regional travel between the two states. The East African Community has also developed a joint marketing strategy that will position East Africa as one a single tourism destination. Member states will create itineraries that include exclusive tourism experiences across the six countries. Travel in the region has also been enhanced by the East African Tourist Visa between Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.