Uganda’s latest push to promote the Pearl of Africa abroad reflects a wider African trend, with governments increasingly using national brands to drive tourism, investment, trade, and international partnerships SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Uganda’s latest “Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa” campaign has turned buses in …
Read More »Selling paradise: Amos Wekesa’s uphill battle to market Uganda amid crises at home
For years, tourism entrepreneur Amos Wekesa has traversed continents persuading the world that Uganda is one of Africa’s most rewarding tourist destinations. But as epidemic outbreaks, travel advisories and domestic political discontent converge, the country’s most vocal tourism ambassador finds himself defending not just Uganda’s image abroad, but also …
Read More »Uganda takes culture and tourism drive to Germany in huge Munich festival
Munich, Germany | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | Uganda has opened its first cultural and tourism festival in Germany, a three-day event in Munich that organisers describe as the largest Ugandan public event held in their country to date. The festival opened on Thursday with traditional drumming, drawing Ugandans from across Germany …
Read More »Uganda takes Tourism Bus campaign to Paris
Paris, France | URN | Uganda has launched a two-week tourism promotion campaign in Paris, the French capital, in an intensified effort to attract more European tourists. The launch features three branded buses carrying images of the country’s top attractions moving through some of Paris’ busiest streets. The campaign, launched …
Read More »Tourism, aviation, hospitality, the victims of travel advisories
Kampala, Uganda | URN | The hospitality industry is counting losses due restrictions impossed following the outbeak of the Bundibugyo Ebola strain in the DRC. The players in the sector blame the losses on misinformation and the ill-advised travel advisories. For Uganda, for example, most of the tourists come from …
Read More »Dr Diana Atwine: Ebola’s most visible face in Uganda
Why Uganda’s Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary is carrying the pressure of a regional epidemic crisis COVER STORY | RONALD MUSOKE | Over the last decade, every time Uganda has had an Ebola outbreak, it has always found Dr Diana Atwine, Uganda’s Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of …
Read More »Construction of Kidepo International Airport kicks off to boost Karamoja tourism
Karenga, Uganda | URN | Construction of the long-anticipated Kidepo International Airport has officially begun with a ground-breaking ceremony in Karenga District. It is anticipated that the airport will boost tourism and accelerate development in the Karamoja sub-region. President Museveni presided over the ground-breaking ceremony. He said, “I officiated at the ground-breaking …
Read More »Embassy in Addis Ababa concludes 10-day Uganda familiarization trip for Ethiopians
Kampala, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | The Ugandan Embassy in Addis Ababa has concluded a landmark ten-day Familiarisation (FAM) trip that brought together an Ethiopian delegation comprising media influencers, tour operators, travel professionals, content creators and prospective investors. The trip, from 23rd May to 2nd June, aimed …
Read More »Journalist Gerald Tenywa and his long fight for Bugoma forest
SPECIAL FEATURE | Long before Bugoma Forest became a national political issue, Gerald Tenywa was writing about it. Through years of encroachment, contested land titles, illegal logging and institutional hesitation, the veteran journalist refused to abandon the story. Today, as the government moves to convert the tropical forest into …
Read More »How AFCON will impact Uganda’s Tourism
Kampala, Uganda | URN | As the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations tournament (AFCON), poses an opportunity to market E.Africa to the world, for Uganda it is being viewed as the single best catalyst to transform the country’s tourism sector. The tournament attracts tourist who come in as fans, …
Read More »
The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price