Malindi: Malindi will in October host the fourth Kenya-Uganda Coast Tourism Conference and Exhibition, an event designed to promote cross-border tourism and deepen cooperation between the two East African nations. At a media engagement held in Malindi on Tuesday in preparation for the two-day event, tourism stakeholders noted that Uganda and Kenya were each other’s leading tourism source markets and underscored the need for joint marketing of their unique attractions.
According to Kenya News Agency, stakeholders speaking during the media launch at a Malindi beach hotel emphasized that the Kenya Coast and Uganda are not competitors in tourism, as each offers distinct attractions that can be jointly marketed to complement one another. The mountain gorilla, endemic to Uganda, and the pristine beaches and dolphins of the Kenyan Coast were cited as key tourism products that could benefit from collaborative promotion.
Ambassador Paul Mukumbya, Uganda’s Consul General in Mombasa, highlighted the potential for joint marketing efforts, suggesting that international tourists could visit both countries on the same itinerary. He noted that this concept has been effective since its inception, with 100 Kenyan tourism stakeholders visiting Uganda and 300 Ugandan stakeholders visiting the Kenya Coast to enhance their product knowledge.
This year’s conference, themed ‘Leveraging Youth, Innovation and Technology for Responsive and Inclusive Tourism’, aims to involve youth and integrate technology into tourism-related activities. Kilifi County Executive Committee Member for Trade and Tourism, Mr. Raymond Ngala, co-chair of the conference with Amb. Mukumbya, emphasized the importance of innovation and technology in responding to global tourism trends.
Ms. Margaret Kafeero, Uganda’s Head of Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reinforced Uganda’s recognition of youth innovation and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) as crucial development drivers. Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, the chief guest at the media launch, noted the cultural, historical, and economic ties shared between Uganda and Kenya, envisioning East Africa as a unified travel destination.
Statistics shared during the media launch revealed that 466,000 Kenyans visited Uganda, making Kenya its largest source market, while 225,559 Ugandans traveled to Kenya, placing Uganda second only to the United States in tourist arrivals. Governor Mung’aro described the summit as an opportunity to balance economic growth with environmental protection, urging stakeholders to champion tourism models that benefit both people and the planet.
The first Kenya-Uganda Tourism Summit was held in Mombasa in November 2022. Organizers of the upcoming Malindi edition aim to build on past successes by spotlighting innovation, youth participation, and sustainable investment in the region’s tourism sector.
