Uganda, through its consulate in Mombasa, has started the campaign with a four-day culinary and cultural festival in Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa with the aim of attracting Kenyan and international visitors.
On Wednesday evening, more than 500 local and international tourists graced the inaugural Uganda Festival at Diani Beach Hotel in Kwale. The Uganda Consul General in Mombasa Ambassador Paul Mukumbya said Kenya and Uganda cross-border tourism is a promising gap that they are willing to venture in.
“Kenya is the number one source market for visitors to Uganda and for Kenya, Uganda is the number two source market for visitors. Whereas to go anywhere else, you need a visa and maybe an air ticket, for a Kenyan to go to Uganda, you don't need any of those. You don't need a visa. You don't even need a passport. All you need is your national identity card. That is why we are sensitizing more Kenyans and more international visitors to come and sample products in Uganda,” the Uganda consul general said
Kenya is said to have received about 200,000 Ugandan visitors, last year while at least 500,000 Kenyans crossed the border to Uganda for tourism and business hence seeing the tourism sector having a huge potential
Other events for this year’s Uganda Festival will be held at Ocean Beach in Malindi, Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi and Fort Jesus in Mombasa. Vipingo will host a cultural night on Friday and the inaugural Uganda-Kilifi Open Golf Tournament on Saturday.
Kenya and Uganda establishes marketing strategies set to enhance cross-border tourism