Uganda will host the Mega Africa Tourism Expo 2025 from October 23rd to 25th at the Speke Resort and Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala. This grand continental event, also referred to as the Utalii Africa Tourism Expo, will bring together all 54 African countries to showcase Africa’s vast tourism potential, cultural heritage, conservation efforts, and opportunities for investment in the travel and hospitality sector. The Expo is being organized by the Ugandan government in partnership with Utalii Africa Events, alongside stakeholders such as the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda Airlines, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and other regional and continental tourism bodies.
The Expo’s theme, “Unlocking Africa’s Tourism Potential Through Unity, Innovation, and Sustainability,” aims to promote intra-African travel and trade in line with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the African Union Agenda 2063, while positioning Africa as a single, competitive tourism destination. There will be a wide variety of participants at the Expo, such as regional tourism boards, private travel agencies, conservation groups, researchers, foreign investors, and government tourism ministries. It is projected that around 2,000 delegates and participants will be present, including cultural performers, airlines, hoteliers, youth entrepreneurs, ministries, tour operators, and travel writers.
There will be a lot going on at the three-day event, such as booths with displays, panel talks, cultural shows, business forums, and times to network. Each African nation will have its own pavilion to showcase its tourism attractions, investment incentives, unique cultures, and environmental initiatives. There will be business-to-business (B2B) areas for meetings between buyers and sellers, a business-to-consumer (B2C) area that is accessible to the public, and a special area where governments and investors may talk about tourist policy and public-private partnerships.
In addition to the exhibition, the Expo will also host high-level conferences and ministerial discussions focusing on challenges and possibilities in Africa’s tourism sector. The discussion will include topics such as air connectivity, visa-free travel, ecotourism, digital marketing, the development of climate-resilient tourism, and the role of women and young people in the sector. Additionally, workshops for tour guides and small business owners, pitch sessions for youth-led tourism innovations, and awards honoring excellence in African tourism will all take place.
In order to ensure accessibility, representatives can arrive in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport, which offers direct flights and assistance from Uganda Airlines and other African airlines. There will be plans for ground transportation, lodging, and site visits to Uganda’s national parks and tourist destinations, including Lake Bunyonyi, Jinja, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Participants will have an easier time getting visas, and security will be tightened up. There will also be COVID-19 health safety steps in place.
Hosting the Mega Africa Tourism Expo gives Uganda the chance to showcase its unique status as the “Pearl of Africa.” It will also enable the nation to highlight its diverse culture, wide range of wildlife, mountain gorillas, beautiful scenery, and expanding hospitality infrastructure. In addition, it is anticipated that the Expo would boost tourism, encourage investment, and enhance Uganda’s status as a secure and exciting location for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE).
