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The 2nd Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Conference 2023 was launched in Diani, Kenya, with the aim of boosting tourism collaboration between Uganda and Kenya’s coastal regions. The conference, scheduled for November 13^th -14^th 2023   will bring together over 300 professionals from both nations. Key attractions include beaches, gorilla tourism, adventure travel, and cultural experiences.

Launch Of At The Lauch Of The 2nd Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Conference

The 2nd Uganda- Kenya Coast Tourism Conference 2023 was officially launched yesterday, September 12, 2023, at Neptune Paradise Beach Resort and Spa in Diani, Kwale County, by the Uganda Consulate General in Mombasa, the County Government of Kwale, Destination Diani, and other important stakeholders from Uganda and the Kenya Coast.

The conference is scheduled for November 2023, and will include excursions to the Kenya Coast from November 15^th –18^th 2023 and a familiarization tour to Uganda from November 22^nd to December 3^rd, 2023. Over 300 tourism-related professionals from both nations are anticipated to attend the conference. The focus of the subject for this year is “Consolidating Networks, Synergies & Diversity to Maximize the Tourism Potential between Uganda and Kenya Coastal Region.”

In less than a month, on August 22, 2023, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, a comparable event was conducted in Kampala, Uganda. Senior government authorities as well as tourism industry participants from the Kenya Coast and Uganda attended the event. Both nations contribute significantly to each other’s tourism industries. While Uganda is Kenya’s second-largest tourist source market, Kenya continues to be Uganda’s top traveler source market.

The tourist industry, both public and private, travel industry, hotels, airlines, transportation firms, safari guides, diplomatic community, travel writers, culinary and cuisine specialists, academics, immigration, training institutes, among others, are the key actors at the summit. The Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), as well as the chambers of commerce from both countries, will speak at the conference.

The Governor of Kwale County, Hon. John Mulimba, the Minister of State for the Republic of Uganda, Hon. Martin Mugarra, and representatives from Uganda Tourism will speak at the conference.

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), PSFU, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), and Uganda Tourism Board (UTB).

Beaches and marine tourism in Kenya, mountain gorillas, adventure travel on the Nile, and cultural and religious tourism in Uganda are just a few of the special tourist attractions that Uganda and Kenya Coast have to offer. These attractions draw visitors from both nations. There are thus already possibilities for cooperation and complementarity to advance each other’s tourism industries.

Amb. Paul Mukumbya, the Ugandan consul general in Mombasa, underlined the value of encouraging cooperation and creating synergies between Uganda and Kenya Coast. To increase travel between Uganda and the Kenya Coast, it is crucial to capitalize on the distinctiveness of the items produced in the two nations.

Testimonies from conference attendees from 2022 who had the chance to take part in excursions at the Kenyan Coast and the familiarization tour to Uganda will be presented at this year’s conference. There will also be chances to network and form alliances that can further the development of the two nations’ tourist industries. Having a combined population of more than 100 million, he continued, Uganda and Kenya have cordial relations.  Both countries have airlines that fly between Mombasa and Entebbe. Uganda Airlines has a direct flight between Mombasa and Entebbe.