Uganda has stepped up efforts to attract Indian travelers through a comprehensive tourism marketing mission to the country slated for this month.
The move is led by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Uganda Airlines, and the Uganda High Commission in India.
The nine-day mission will feature a series of business-to-business (B2B) roadshows across three major Indian cities—New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai—from February 1 to 4, 2026, followed by Uganda’s participation in the Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) in Mumbai from February 5 to 7, 2026.
The roadshows will be executed by a contracted agency in partnership with UTB and the Uganda High Commission in India.
The initiative builds on Uganda’s success at OTM Mumbai in 2025, where the country—branded the “Pearl of Africa”—was named the Most Promising New Destination. Officials say the 2026 engagement is designed to consolidate that momentum by tapping into India’s rapidly expanding outbound tourism market, supported by direct air connectivity via Uganda Airlines.
India is among the fastest-growing outbound tourism markets globally, with strong demand for wildlife safaris, cultural experiences, luxury travel, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events), destination weddings, and film tourism—segments in which Uganda has a competitive advantage.
The roadshows will focus on positioning Uganda as Africa’s premier destination for experiential, luxury, adventure, and MICE tourism. Targeted B2B networking sessions will connect Ugandan tour operators with Indian travel agents, wedding planners, media, and corporate travel organizers. Engagements in New Delhi and Ahmedabad will target North and West India’s affluent travel segments, while Mumbai—India’s financial hub and source of over 60 percent of outbound travel—will host the final lead-in event.
Uganda will then take centre stage at OTM Mumbai 2026, South Asia’s leading travel trade exhibition. The event, which takes place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, is India’s largest and most influential travel trade show, bringing together more than 1,500 exhibitors from over 50 countries and attracting over 30,000 trade visitors from across India and the wider South Asian region.
At OTM, Uganda will showcase its refreshed “Explore Uganda” brand to international buyers and trade partners. Key highlights will include mountain gorilla and chimpanzee tracking experiences; Uganda Airlines’ direct Mumbai–Entebbe route, which has reduced travel time to under seven hours; the country’s diverse adventure and cultural attractions, including the Rwenzori Mountains and the source of the River Nile; and Uganda’s readiness to host conferences, meetings, and destination weddings under the MICE tourism segment.
Beyond the roadshows and exhibition, UTB will roll out additional market activations to reinforce destination awareness. These will include product knowledge training sessions for Indian trade partners in Mumbai on February 5, as well as destination training conducted in partnership with the Uganda High Commission in India on February 8.
The UTB delegation will travel from January 31 to February 9, 2026, to fully implement the roadshow, exhibition, and post-event market engagements. The delegation will be led by UTB Directors Vincent Operemo and Arach Ojara Margaret, with on-ground support from David Edyelu of the UTB marketing department.
Speaking ahead of the mission, the Uganda Tourism Board said that India remains a top-tier strategic market for Uganda.
“Our goal is to make Uganda a ‘top-of-mind’ destination for Indian travelers seeking authenticity beyond traditional circuits. With the convenience of direct flights and our recent recognition as a promising destination, we are inviting our Indian partners to discover why Uganda is the ultimate choice for adventure, film tourism, and luxury retreats.”