Ugandan, Kenyan tour operators and travel agents sign cooperation deals

What the report says

Tour operators, travel agents and private-sector groups from Uganda and Kenya have signed a series of cooperation agreements aimed at strengthening regional tourism and making cross-border travel easier. According to Watchdog Uganda, the memoranda were concluded during the fifth Uganda–Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit in Mombasa, held at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa on 26 and 27 October.

The agreements involved the Association of Uganda Tour Operators and the Kenya Association of Tour Operators, the Uganda Association of Travel Agents and the Kenya Association of Travel Agents, and a separate business partnership between the Private Sector Foundation Uganda and the Mombasa chapter of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The MoUs focus on sustainable tourism, innovation, investment, youth participation, regional integration and private-sector cooperation. Organisers said the summit is intended to move the discussion from promotion toward practical policy action.

The event followed a familiarisation tour of the Kenyan coast by more than 70 Ugandan tourism stakeholders, coordinated by Uganda’s Consulate General in Mombasa. Officials and industry leaders also discussed the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will co-host, as a potential opportunity to market the two countries as a combined destination.

The article said the countries are seeing rising visitor numbers, with Uganda and Kenya both looking to deepen tourism flows and address travel barriers. It also noted plans for business links, digital tourism projects and a review of East African Community rules affecting free movement, alongside calls for better transport, safety and policy coordination.