Uganda wants Kenya to work with it to lower travel costs, improve connectivity and remove paperwork barriers that are limiting cross-border tourism in East Africa.
Uganda’s Consul General in Mombasa, Amb. Herbert Kiguli, said the two countries should deepen cooperation and market their tourism products as a single regional destination.
Kiguli said high travel costs, limited connectivity and administrative requirements were making it difficult for visitors to combine experiences in Kenya and Uganda.
“Our task now is to remove what still slows travellers down — cost, access and paperwork — so that a visitor to the Coast can add Uganda to the same trip, and the other way round,” Kiguli said.
He was speaking during the Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) 2026 at Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum in Nairobi.
Uganda is Kenya’s second-largest source market for international tourists after the United States.
Kenya Tourism Board data shows arrivals from Uganda increased from 201,623 in 2024 to 234,556 in 2025, representing growth of about 16 per cent.
Travel in the opposite direction has also increased.
Uganda Tourism Board data shows Kenyan visitors to Uganda rose from 466,902 in 2024 to 519,041 last year.
The combined traffic between the two countries therefore exceeded 750,000 visitors in 2025.
Kiguli said the figures demonstrate the potential for Kenya and Uganda to develop joint tourism packages and increase visitor spending across the region.
Uganda’s State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Susan Nsambu Nakawuki said stronger regional connectivity would be critical to unlocking that potential.
She cited the difficulty and cost of flying between East African destinations, particularly between Uganda and Kenya’s Coast.
“Over the weekend, it is very hard to get a flight from Entebbe to any destination of Kenya, especially Mombasa,” Nakawuki said.
She said the cost of regional flights remained a major concern for tourists and businesses.
“Usually the money you pay from Entebbe to Mombasa is the same money you pay from Entebbe to Paris. Why?” she asked.
Nakawuki called on policymakers to address non-tariff barriers and improve air connectivity across Africa.
She said tourists should be encouraged to visit several destinations within the region during one trip rather than choosing individual countries.
“We are better off marketing our region as a single tourist destination than going as individuals. We are one people with one destiny, and we should push that as much as we can,” she said.
The minister said Kenya and Uganda should not view each other as competitors.
“As Uganda, we are not competition for Kenya, but we are forever allies. We’re here to support Kenya. We are also here to explore Kenya,” she said.
The call comes as Kenya targets five million international visitor arrivals by 2027.
Uganda believes regional markets can help Kenya achieve the target while also increasing tourism revenues for both countries.
The proposed model would allow visitors to combine Kenya’s beaches and wildlife attractions with Uganda’s gorilla trekking, the source of the River Nile and other tourism products.
Nakawuki said such packages could encourage tourists to spend more time and money within East Africa.
She urged the two countries to improve connectivity so visitors can move easily between destinations.
“If I can have a tourist come through Kenya, they enjoy the Coast, they enjoy Maasai Mara and the air balloon, and then you send them to me in Uganda, I give them the gorilla experience and show them the great source of the River Nile, why can’t they go broke?” she said.
The partnership will be discussed further at the fifth Uganda–Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit scheduled for October 26–27 at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort in Mombasa.
The summit will bring together more than 200 decision-makers from tourism, technology, government and investment.
A key session will examine Article 104 of the East African Community Treaty, which covers the free movement of persons, labour and services.
The meeting is expected to produce recommendations on improving cross-border mobility.
The summit will also feature an innovation showcase for youth-led technology companies and business-to-business sessions connecting tour operators, investors and technology developers.
Nakawuki also called for greater African integration in tourism.
“Let’s consider seriously the issue of connectivity within the African region,” she said, noting that travelling between African destinations can take longer and cost more than travelling to Europe.
The initiative comes as Uganda and Kenya seek to strengthen regional tourism flows and retain more visitor spending within East Africa.
The Uganda–Kenya Coast tourism platform has, since 2022, brought together tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers and tourism organisations from both countries.
Its familiarisation programmes have exposed more than 450 industry stakeholders to tourism products across the two markets.
The Ugandan Consulate is also promoting a familiarisation trip to Uganda for Kenyan tourism stakeholders from November 1 to 8.
The initiative is expected to help operators develop joint packages and sell Kenya and Uganda as complementary destinations.