UTB taps Ghetto Kids to market Uganda

What the report says

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) is planning to work with the Ghetto Kids as tourism ambassadors, using the dance group’s international visibility to help promote Uganda ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania. The Observer reports that the board sees the group as a way to reach audiences that standard tourism advertising may not easily capture.

According to UTB chief executive Juliana Kagwa, discussions with the group’s management began months before their widely viewed appearance with Shakira during a FIFA World Cup theme-song performance. UTB said that moment strengthened the case for bringing the dancers into its marketing strategy. The board has already supported the group in creating promotional material, including content featuring Ugandan attractions such as Murchison Falls National Park, the Source of the Nile and the Equator area at Kikorongo.

Kagwa said the aim is to present Uganda as youthful, energetic and culturally rich, while also highlighting the country’s wildlife, landscapes, food, music and dance. The plan is tied to AFCON 2027, with UTB hoping visitors will extend their stay beyond football matches to explore more of the country. As part of that broader effort, UTB is also engaging government ministries and other institutions to build tourism experiences around the tournament.

The report places the campaign within a wider effort to use well-known Ugandans and cultural figures, rather than only celebrity endorsements, to market the country abroad. That approach, UTB says, is meant to connect tourism promotion with Uganda’s identity and heritage.