Uganda is seeking to strengthen its position in the French and wider European tourism market as it participates in the International & French Travel Market (IFTM) Top Resa 2026 in Paris.
The three-day business-to-business tourism trade fair, taking place from September 15 to 17 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, brings together tourism operators, destinations and travel buyers from France and other markets.
Uganda’s participation is being organised by the Embassy of Uganda in Paris under the Government’s Economic and Commercial Diplomacy (ECD) Programme.
The Ugandan delegation is led by Ambassador Doreen Ruth Amule, Uganda’s Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, and Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Susan Nakawuki.
Uganda is exhibiting at Stand T072, with the Embassy joined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Eleven private-sector Destination Marketing Companies are also participating: Africa Adventure Vacations, Cheetah Safaris Uganda, Destination Jungle, Grassrootz Adventures, Home to Africa, Ibis Adventures, Kazinga Tours, Let’s Go Travel, Sites Travel Uganda, Tripcare Adventures and Terrace Safaris.
The Embassy said the participation is intended to connect French and European travel buyers directly with Ugandan tourism operators who package and sell destinations and experiences.
France among Uganda’s top tourism markets
Uganda received 1,642,215 international visitors in 2025, representing a 19.7 per cent increase from the previous year, according to provisional figures from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.
Tourism revenues reached USD 1.62 billion, an increase of 21.3 per cent.
France has also emerged among Uganda’s top 10 international source markets. The country received 7,439 French visitors in 2025, more than double the number recorded in 2024.
The Embassy said French visitors are considered a high-value market, with average expenditure exceeding USD 2,025 and stays ranging from eight to more than 15 nights.
Tourism is one of the sectors identified under Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, which targets a USD 500 billion economy by 2040.
Ambassador Amule said the country’s participation in the Paris tourism fair was intended to go beyond destination promotion.
“Our objective goes beyond promotion. Under the ECD Programme, we are equipping French and European trade partners with the tools and direct contacts to sell Uganda effectively, while advancing investment, air connectivity and long-term partnerships that benefit Ugandans,” Amule said.
The Embassy said it is targeting 13,000 visitors from France, while seeking to increase the combined number of visitors from France, Spain and Portugal to 18,000.
Uganda promotes tourism and investment
The Embassy is also using the Paris engagement to promote Uganda as an investment destination.
According to the Bank of Uganda’s 2023 Foreign Direct Investment Report, the latest available report cited by the Embassy, French foreign direct investment in Uganda exceeded USD 1.6 billion in 2023, accounting for 53 per cent of total FDI inflows.
Ahead of the tourism fair, the Embassy launched an outdoor advertising campaign in Paris involving three Uganda-branded buses operating on routes around major locations, including the Eiffel Tower.
The campaign was estimated by the Embassy to generate up to eight million out-of-home impressions.
At IFTM Top Resa, Uganda is showcasing its wildlife, adventure and nature tourism products, including mountain gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, Big Five safaris, Rwenzori Mountains trekking, Nile experiences, birding and community tourism.
The country has also highlighted developments in its hospitality sector, including the 181-room Kampala Marriott Hotel, Hemingway’s Hotel in Entebbe and new lodges in and around protected areas.
The Embassy said the meetings at IFTM will also explore partnerships around major events that could be incorporated into travel itineraries for European visitors.
These include the Race the Nile ULTRA Explorer Edition in Arua in November 2026, an 800-kilometre gravel race; the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania; the Rwenzori Marathon scheduled for August 21-22, 2027; and the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) scheduled for May 20-22, 2027 in Kampala.
Uganda’s participation at IFTM Top Resa runs from September 15 to 17, 2026, at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
