Kenya, Uganda sign four deals to boost cross-border tourism

Kenya and Uganda have signed four cooperation agreements aimed at strengthening cross-border tourism, trade and investment as the two countries seek to ease travel barriers and expand business opportunities across the East African region.

The agreements were signed on the opening day of the fifth Uganda–Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa, where government officials, tourism operators, investors and young innovators met to discuss ways of translating regional integration commitments into practical measures.

The two-day summit, held on October 26 and 27, brought together stakeholders under the theme Unlocking Tourism Opportunities: Resolving Policy Bottlenecks through Technology, Youth and Seamless Mobility across East Africa.

The agreements involve the Kenya Association of Travel Agents and the Uganda Association of Travel Agents; the Kenya Association of Tour Operators and the Association of Uganda Tour Operators; the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda; and KNCCI and the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre.

The discussions focused on removing barriers to movement across borders, improving tourism connectivity and using technology to develop products that combine Uganda's wildlife and cultural attractions with Kenya's coastal destinations.

Uganda's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, called on the two countries to turn regional integration commitments into practical benefits for citizens and businesses.

“The East African Community promised its people the freedom to move, work and do business across our borders. Article 104 of the Treaty is that promise, and tourism is where its benefits are felt first,” Kadaga said.

She said Kenya and Uganda should lead by example in implementing the East African Community's free-movement provisions.

Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for East African Community, ASALs and Regional Development, Beatrice Askul Moe, said regional integration should be reflected in how easily people, goods and services cross borders.

“Kenya is committed to removing the bottlenecks that remain: procedures applied differently at different points, citizens who do not know their rights, and paperwork that slows down travelers and businesses,” she said.

Moe added that Kenya would take the outcomes of the summit to the wider East African Community.

The two countries are seeking to build on growing visitor numbers between their tourism markets. According to the Uganda Tourism Board, Kenyan visitors to Uganda increased from 466,902 in 2024 to 519,041 in 2025.

Meanwhile, Ugandan arrivals to Kenya rose from 201,623 to 234,556 over the same period, according to the Kenya Tourism Board, making Uganda Kenya's second-largest source market.

Uganda's Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Susan Nakawuki Nsambu, said the countries could attract more visitors by packaging their destinations as complementary experiences.

“Uganda offers primates, lakes, mountains and culture, while the Kenya Coast offers its beaches and heritage. Our young people and new technology will help us package these experiences together, and easier movement will put them within reach of every East African. We must sell East Africa as a bloc,” Nsambu said.

The summit also featured presentations by young innovators showcasing digital solutions for tourism, alongside discussions on technology-driven destination management, investment opportunities and business partnerships between operators from the two countries.

Mombasa County Executive Committee Member for Tourism, Culture and Trade Mohamed Osman said the partnership had economic benefits for coastal businesses and communities.

“Tourism is the lifeblood of the Coast, and the business our operators, hoteliers and young people do with Uganda puts food on tables here,” Osman said.

He added that the county government would continue supporting the partnership, including trade agreements and technology initiatives aimed at improving tourism experiences.

Uganda's Consul General in Mombasa, Herbert Kiguli, said the annual conference had been elevated to a summit to shift the engagement from general discussions to specific commitments.

“What we are expecting from Mombasa is a communiqué with practical steps that will make it easier for a young Ugandan or Kenyan to travel, to build a tourism business, and to sell across borders,” Kiguli said.

The summit was expected to conclude with a communiqué outlining institutional commitments and implementation timelines for review at the 2027 edition.

The 2026 meeting also marked 10 years since the Uganda Consulate General established its presence in Mombasa.