Madrid — Uganda is participating in the 2026 edition of the Feria Internacional de Turismo (FITUR), which officially kicked off today, Wednesday, January 21, in Madrid, Spain, as the country steps up efforts to position tourism as a key driver of long-term economic growth.
The five-day international tourism fair, running until Sunday, January 25 at IFEMA Madrid, brings together tourism boards, travel trade professionals, investors, airlines, and destination marketers from more than 165 countries. FITUR is regarded as one of the world’s most influential tourism exhibitions and a critical gateway to the Spanish and wider Spanish-speaking markets in Europe and Latin America.
Uganda’s participation aligns with its national development ambition of expanding the economy to USD 500 billion by 2040, with tourism identified as a strategic sector for foreign exchange generation, job creation, SME growth, and investment across multiple value chains.
Spain represents a high-potential but relatively underexploited source market for Uganda. As one of the world’s leading outbound tourism nations, Spain has seen rising interest in experiential, nature-based, and sustainable travel—segments where Uganda holds a strong competitive advantage.
At FITUR 2026, Uganda is showcasing a wide range of tourism offerings, including primate trekking, classic wildlife safaris, adventure and active tourism, birding, cultural heritage, and community-based experiences. These products are being promoted to meet the growing demand among Spanish travellers for authentic, biodiversity-rich, and socially responsible destinations.
Beyond destination marketing, Uganda is also using the platform to promote tourism investment opportunities in eco-lodges, hotels, destination infrastructure, transport services, and meetings and conference tourism. Spain’s established expertise in hospitality development and destination management is expected to present opportunities for partnerships and capital flows into Uganda’s tourism and hospitality sector.
The country’s participation is being coordinated through a multi-agency public–private partnership involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Uganda Tourism Board, the Association of Uganda Tour Operators, and selected private sector exhibitors. The coordinated approach is intended to ensure consistent messaging and maximise the impact of Uganda’s presence at the fair.
In addition to tourism promotion, Uganda is integrating elements of its broader national brand at FITUR, including cultural industries, the creative economy, crafts, and premium agricultural products such as speciality coffee. Cultural showcases and coffee-tasting experiences are being used to deepen visitor engagement and reinforce Uganda’s image as a vibrant and diverse destination.
The first three days of FITUR focus on business-to-business engagements, offering Uganda opportunities to connect directly with tour operators, travel agencies, digital travel platforms, investors, and media. The weekend segment is open to the public, allowing for high-volume consumer interaction.
Uganda’s participation is expected to result in increased destination awareness in Southern Europe, stronger trade and professional networks, new partnerships, and improved market intelligence to inform future tourism promotion strategies. Over the longer term, the engagement is expected to contribute to growth in tourist arrivals, longer stays, higher visitor spending, and increased foreign exchange earnings.
FITUR 2026 is also seen as an important platform for positioning Uganda not only as a premier African tourism destination but as an attractive partner for tourism, trade, and investment, reinforcing the country’s broader economic and branding objectives on the global stage.
