The delegation of Turkish influencers and tour operators concluded a familiarisation trip in Uganda, aimed at boosting tourism and strengthening bilateral ties between Turkey and Uganda.
The trip was organised by the Ugandan Embassy in Ankara, showcased Uganda’s diverse tourism offerings, including wildlife, cultural sites, and adventure activities that involved visits to iconic locations like Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for gorilla trekking, and the source of the Nile in Jinja among others.
The itinerary also included community-based tourism initiatives to highlight Uganda’s unique cultural heritage and promote responsible tourism, as well as a dynamic B2B tourism engagement between tour operators and influencers from Türkiye and key Ugandan tourism stakeholders, organised by the Uganda Tourism Board in collaboration with the Embassy of Uganda in Ankara.
The B2B tourism engagement was held at Four Points by Sheraton on Monday, 14th July with participants from the Uganda Tourism and Hospitality Associations, including; AUTO, ESTOA, UHOA, the Association of Uganda Women in Tourism Trade as well as Uganda Investment Authority, Uganda Wildlife Authority, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This engagement created valuable dialogue around trade partnerships, destination marketing, and positioning Uganda more competitively within the Turkish and broader international travel markets.
During the session, the Uganda Ambassador to Türkiye, Nusura Tiperu, revealed that the Uganda embassy in Ankara has a five-year strategic plan with several activities to strengthen the relationship between the Uganda Tourism Board and the equivalent of the UTB in the Republic of Türkiye.
“Turkey has 81 cities, and this body has a representation in each city. So the moment we link up our operators and also UTB, we would technically have linked up all our tour operators with the rest of those in the tourism business of the Republic of Turkey, which has so many guests. So the moment Uganda is considered a top destination, we would have achieved our target,” she said.
In addition, the Ambassador noted that they are going to work hand in hand with the Ministry of Works and Transport, together with the Ministry of Tourism to ensure that the roads that lead to the parks are considered as a priority, because that’s very key in attracting more guests, since safety on the road is top on the agenda of many of the tourists.
H.E. Nusura Tiperu also lauded the rangers and guides for their outstanding efforts in selling the country, noting, “I’m proud of the tour operators, rangers and guides that the country has. You can see young, vibrant men and women trying their best to sell Uganda, trying their best to give the best packages. So apart from liking them, want an interagency retreat where we’ll have the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Uganda Wildlife Authority, the tour operators, UTB, the Minister of Tourism, and the Ministry of Investments. We need to have a conference to speak so that we as a body can sell this country together.”
In terms of investment, she sated, “We have several Turkish investors now looking at how they can invest in the hotel industry, in the accommodation industry, and I believe one or two years to come, you’ll see more Turkish people owning facilities in partnership with Ugandans, we’re encouraging a win, win, situation or solution, so that we don’t have people coming into invest 100% without Ugandans having a stakeholder.”
She further urged the public to take tourism as a core factor that can really transform the country’s economy, saying, “We are also encouraging people to open up, go out, and also put up facilities across the region, because some of the tourists want to come and have an experience of Uganda, go to Kenya, proceed to Tanzania, and then ultimately leave the country. So as a mission, among the things I’m doing is to market the region, but using Uganda as the hub. So you may set up your business here and then move to the next country.”
Cagatay Ozdemir, the biggest Turkish travel influencer on Instagram lauded Uganda as a prime tourism destination, highlighting its diverse attractions and natural beauty.
“This was the second time in Uganda, in my first visit, I didn’t have enough time to discover all the country’s beauty, but this time around, I have visited both Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks as well as the gorilla trekking, which was unique for me, and even the nature was impressive. I am hoping to come back for the third time, and I promise you that I will do my best to promote tourism in Uganda,” he said.
Stephen Masaba, the Director Tourism and Business Development at Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), stated, “In a conversation with the team, they had an excellent experience, so we are delighted, and we are easily waiting to serve them again as we continue to promote the efforts of promoting international tourism to Uganda.”
The Uganda Tourism Board Chairperson, Pearl Hoareau Kakooza, explained that UTB is committed to building a long term sustainable presence in Turkey, that includes fostering B to B linkages between Uganda and Turkish tour operators and travel agents, designing Muslim friendly packages, wellness retreats, and equipping Uganda’s private sector with market intelligence and storytelling tools.
“Our approach is inclusive, measurable, future-focused, putting our commitments in the private sector and conservation at the heart of our tourism development,” she said.
Following the trip, the influencers will embark on a digital promotion campaign to share their experiences and showcase Uganda’s beauty and attractions to their followers. This campaign is expected to generate significant social media engagement and raise awareness of Uganda as a premier tourist destination.
The familiarisation trip is also seen as a way to strengthen the relationship between Uganda and Turkey, with the potential to foster increased tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.
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