Gov’t targets bigger share of French tourism market at Paris Travel Fair

Paris, France | URN | Uganda is stepping up efforts to attract more French tourists and investors as the country seeks to increase its share of the lucrative French tourism market through the International French Travel Market (IFTM) in Paris.

The three-day tourism exhibition, which started Tuesday at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, has brought together Uganda’s tourism authorities, travel agents and tour operators to showcase the country’s wildlife, culture, nature and other tourism products to French and international visitors.

Uganda’s Ambassador to France, Spain and Portugal, Doreen Ruth Amule, said sustained participation in international tourism expos is critical if Uganda is to compete with established destinations such as Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Africa.

Amule said Uganda has for years suffered from limited international visibility despite its abundant tourism resources, making aggressive and sustained marketing necessary.

“The missing link has been marketing, the missing link has been visibility, the missing link has been cherishing our own endowment that God has already provided for us,” Amule said.

She said Uganda has nature, wildlife, people, culture, favorable weather and other attractions that can compete favorably with tourism products offered by neighboring countries.

Amule said Uganda’s participation in IFTM has grown from an exploratory effort involving about five tour operators to nearly 20 operators, reflecting growing interest from the private sector.

She said the increasing number of Ugandan tour operators willing to spend their own money on tickets, accommodation and exhibition fees demonstrates the commercial potential of the French market. Data shows that Uganda received 7,439 French visitors in 2025, more than double the number recorded in 2024.

The ambassador said Uganda initially hoped to double the previous year’s tourism business from the expo, but challenges including Ebola-related concerns have forced the country to moderate its expectations.

The Embassy is now targeting at least 13,000 French visitors, and a combined 18,000 visitors from France, Spain and Portugal.

She said the immediate objective is to maintain the momentum achieved last year or record a slight increase.

Amule attributed the growing interest of French travelers in Uganda partly to increased visibility through translated promotional materials, television, radio, social media and agents promoting Uganda throughout the year.

She also said improved online information about Uganda was helping counter what she described as previously dominant negative information about the country.

“What drives the French market to Uganda has been basically visibility and aggressive marketing,” she said. “A lot of negativity previously was said about Uganda, and that was dominating the algorithm of information that is on the internet about Uganda, but that’s now going down because throughout the world embassies and different agencies are putting positive information about Uganda.”

According to Amule, Uganda currently has 10 exhibitors at the embassy’s stand, while another seven operators who could not be accommodated have secured a separate stand. She called for increased investment in Uganda’s exhibition space to give more tour operators room to showcase the country under one prominent stand.

State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Susan Nakawuki said the Paris expo provides Uganda with an opportunity to position itself before an international audience as the country seeks to increase annual tourist arrivals.

Uganda’s tourism sector has recorded broader growth in recent years. In 2025, the country received 1.6 million tourists, a 19.7 percent increase from the previous year, while tourism receipts rose to 1.62 billion US dollars.

The government is targeting at least 10 million tourists within the next two to three years.

However, Nakawuki said Uganda needs to invest more in destination marketing, arguing that tourism products cannot generate greater returns without adequate promotion. She cited countries such as Morocco and Egypt that have set up larger exhibition stands at the Paris expo as examples of how destinations can use visibility to attract visitors.

Nakawuki also urged the Ministry of Tourism, Uganda Tourism Board and Ministry of Finance to prioritize participation in international tourism exhibitions and learn from countries that have invested heavily in promotion.

She observed that meeting the operators in Paris had also enabled the government to understand challenges affecting their daily operations, which she described as largely administrative and capable of being addressed.

“We can’t be without the private sector. They really complement government well,” she said.

Tourism is a second biggest GDP contributor in our country. The tourism sector employs more than 800,000 Ugandans, and it has the capacity to employ even more.

For the French market, Nakawuki said Uganda is promoting its diverse tourism offering, including wildlife, culture and opportunities for longer stays. Adding that Uganda’s cultural diversity, with 56 cultures, provides additional opportunities for tourists seeking experiences beyond wildlife.

French tourism stakeholders are also showing interest in Uganda following the country’s participation at the expo.

Francois Leveque, President of Central Events-France, for example, was surprised by the range of tourism activities available in Uganda beyond gorilla trekking.

Leveque said he had initially thought tourists could visit Uganda mainly to see gorillas for one or two days, but discovered that visitors can spend up to two weeks exploring different attractions.

France is already a significant economic partner, with French foreign direct investment in Uganda exceeding 1.6 billion US dollars in 2023.

The government says the tourism campaign in France is therefore also intended to attract investment, expand business-to-business partnerships, strengthen European distribution networks and improve air connectivity.

Uganda is also positioning upcoming international events, including the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the Rwenzori Marathon, Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo and Nile Uganda Ultra Explorer Edition, as additional platforms for promoting the country’s tourism and business opportunities.