UTB Hosts Incentive Buyers to Foster MICE Industry 

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), successfully hosted a group of incentive buyers for a familiarisation trip to Uganda with focus to increase business events in the country. 

The team comprised of nine incentive buyers for markets that include USA, Europe and Asian Pacific countries hosted between 22nd to 28th October, 2023. 

The Incentive category of tour operators target high end business class clients who often visit destinations in big delegations. These engage in meetings, team building and networking activities.

The incentive buyers visited accommodation facilities to evaluate capacity to host numbers, experienced the country’s rich cultural heritage with visits to host communities and enjoyed the diversity of traditional dances. 

The group enjoyed Uganda’s wildlife and natural endowments in Queen Elizabeth national park, had a boat cruise and gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

The delegation also had a networking evening to connect with local tourism stakeholders, Meetings Incentives Conferences and Events (MICE) professionals, and government representatives to foster partnership for future business in the country.

Ms. Lilly Ajarova, UTB CEO noted that private sector tourism players needed to create business linkages with incentive buyers to build local trade partnership.

 “The Board is committed to continuously develop MICE industry. We hope through these collaborations, we shall as a destination attract international conferences and business travellers to experience the beauty and diversity of Uganda. We need to recruit and grow the number of trade partners selling Uganda from the source markets. This is critical in creating awareness on Uganda as MICE destination,” she said.

Incentive buyers were very delighted for the invitation to do business in destination Uganda. Deveikaite Brigita an incentive buyer from UK was excited that Uganda had so much to offer in terms of variety of wildlife, beauty and culture. 

“The experiences I’ve had here, from meeting venues to cultural interactions and wildlife encounters, have been truly exceptional. I hope to bring many groups of delegations for business because the country is truly amazing,” he said.

In MICE tourism industry, the tool of familiarisation trips is often used by incentive buyers to seek additional information from the host countries and decide which location to choose for an event. 

In these cases, guests on fam trips often visit different venues to ascertain their technical requirements for hosting a conference or convention or incentive travel programmes.