Uganda Tourism Takes Ice Hockey Route to Swiss Market

What the report says

Uganda Tourism Board and the Embassy of Uganda in Switzerland have launched a one-year partnership with the Champions Hockey League to promote Uganda as a travel destination to Swiss audiences. The agreement, concluded in Zug, links Uganda’s tourism marketing to the 2026/27 CHL season and gives the country visibility through ice hockey activations and media exposure. According to the report, the effort is aimed at reaching potential visitors in Switzerland through a sport with a strong following there.

Uganda’s ambassador to Switzerland, Robert Marcel Tibaleka, said the initiative is intended to strengthen ties between the two countries while presenting Uganda’s wildlife, landscapes, culture and hospitality to new audiences. UTB chief executive Juliana Kaggwa said Switzerland is an important market and that sport offers an alternative channel to conventional tourism advertising. The partnership is being carried out with Infront, the CHL’s exclusive media and marketing partner.

The report says Uganda is seeking to broaden its international tourism reach and increase the sector’s economic value. It highlights the country’s attractions, including mountain gorilla trekking, national parks, the Rwenzori Mountains, Lake Victoria and the source of the River Nile. More broadly, the move reflects a growing trend among destinations using sports sponsorships to reach niche foreign markets, though the article frames this as part of Uganda’s own marketing strategy rather than a wider policy shift.