Kenya, Uganda Ink Deal To Boost Tourism

Written By Ramadhan Kambi  📝

Tourism in both Kenya and Uganda is headed for a facelift after Uganda and Kenya formed a partnership to promote trade and tourism in the two countries.

The move is meant to spur economic growth and through the program,  Uganda intends to begin roadshows and familiarization trips in Kenya.

Under the partnership, big tour operators from Uganda shall be in the country to explore the diverse tourism products available in Kenya. 

This will be followed by another trip of tour operators from Kenya to Uganda to also sample the tourism products. 

Next year, another exchange program will be done for business people to explore possible investment opportunities available in the two countries.

Already Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with Private Sector Foundation Uganda, and the county government of Kilifi organized the Kilifi Tourism, Trade and investment conference which brought together stakeholders from both Uganda and Kenya to discuss the best way to trade can be harmonized and tourism.

The conference had the theme “harnessing Trade, investment, and tourism opportunities between Uganda and the Kenyan Coastal region.”

Among those present was the ambassador Paul Mukumbya the Consul General Uganda Consulate General Mombasa, and The president of KNCCI Richard Ngatia among other senior officials.

Mr Mukumbya said as a country its focus is on economic and commercial diplomacy which entails promoting trade tourism and investments for the mutual benefit of Uganda and Kenya.

In  September last year he said that  they did an Agribusiness symposium in Mombasa to promote trade and agricultural products.

“This time we are here in Kilifi this one we have done it together tourism trade and investment. For example, we know that Kilifi and Malindi are among the tourism hubs of Kenya but we also know that we in Uganda have a lot of good tourism attractions,” he said.

The Consulate said the people who visit the Coastal region from America Europe and beyond mainly go to the beaches but in Uganda, they have a different package so by coming together as Uganda and Coastal tourism they can complement one another come with a package that will promote the Coastal region and what they have in Uganda.

He said they were not in any form of competition but trying to create synergies that can complement each other particularly after the sector suffered a major blow during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This one will help the tourism sector to recover from the effects of Covid-19 <’ he said.

Their aim is not only to bring agricultural products but bring Ugandan investors to invest in Coast and also large manufacturers from the Coast to go and invest in Uganda.

He said the roadshow is going to focus on tourism and will bring a big team of tour operators to come and see what is available on the Coast and then take other key tourism players to Uganda to see the tourist attractions in their country to see what is there to offer.

On his part Ngatia, the President of KNCCI said their aim is to see how to have a partnership and take advantage of the 85 million people in the two countries by coming up with ways of promoting tourism in the two countries.

He said they want to see how Uganda can benefit from the Coast, and the culture and enhance trade.

“We want to see how we can mitigate tariff barriers, tariff measures so that people here can benefit in Uganda and those in Uganda to benefit in this country we want to see that we are not in competition but we complement each other,” he said,

He said they also discussed ways to expand the market by getting into the great lakes region, COMESA region, the landlocked countries, and the African free continental area to see how best to get opportunities in those countries.

Ngatia said the conference was important particularly since the country was on a political season where all key presidential hopefuls were talking about economic development.

“If you listen to the two principals that is Raila Amolo Odinga and Dr. Ruto they are talking about business, they are focusing on the agenda on how to support SMEs, how to support micro, mama Mboga therefore for us we want to prepare ourselves so that with the new dispensation that is coming we must be prepared and know where the opportunities are,” he said.

Kilifi CEC member for trade and tourism Nahida Mohamed said the aim of the conference is to ensure businesspeople in Kilifi and Kenya can partner with their Ugandan counterparts to boost trade.

She said there was a need to complement each other instead of competing as the market is large adding that it was agreed that the tariff barriers are removed to promote the free market.

“For example, in Kenya, we have a shortage of Milk while in Uganda there is a surplus so with free trade there can be no barriers,” she said.

On tourism, she said they agreed to sell tourism packages as one product for the two countries for tourists to go to the two nations after the beach to go and see gorillas in Uganda.

Philemon Mwavala from the Kenya Hotel keepers and Caterers Association said the event was important to them to open their markets and increase accessibility.

“It’s been a wonderful eye-opener on our way to move forward and build a partnership of trade and investments,” he said.

He said Uganda is rich in ecotourism and has a lot to offer on the beachside which will help open up movements between the good countries.