ASEAN tour operators thrilled by Uganda’s tourist attractions

A group of tour operators from ASEAN countries have successfully concluded their 10-day tour of Uganda’s tourist attractions.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional organization of ten countries in Southeast Asia including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Cambodia .

In the last 10 days, tour operators from these countries experienced Uganda’s unique tourism offering in a bid to promote Uganda a top tier destination for investment and tourism by people from ASEAN countries.

The visit was organized by the Ugandan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dr. Betty Oyella Bigombe, High Commissioner of Uganda to Malaysia, emphasized the far-reaching impact of this engagement.

According to Dr. Bigombe, the visit was a starting point for strategic collaborations that will drive economic growth for both Uganda and ASEAN countries.

“This event offers a unique opportunity for key players within the tourism sector and beyond to identify areas for strategic partnerships. Building robust collaborations with ASEAN not only enhances trade but also creates jobs and contributes to the economic development of both nations,” she noted.

Bigombe further highlighted Uganda’s attractive investment climate, which includes tax incentives, an enabling policy framework, and opportunities in key sectors such as infrastructure development, mineral value addition, agro-processing, and oil and gas.

The tourism sector remains a cornerstone of Uganda’s economy, contributing 7.7% to its GDP and creating nearly 667,000 jobs, according to a baseline report by Tourism Research and Development and ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, 2024.

According to Dorcus Namajja from  the Uganda Tourism Board, the visit was timely and instrumental in positioning Uganda as a top choice for global tourists.

“This visit is intended to cultivate a long-term relationship between Uganda and ASEAN. It comes at a time when the Ugandan government has made a deliberate effort to capitalize on its foreign missions to promote Uganda as a first-choice tourism destination,” she explained.

The business engagement sessions held on Thursday served as a platform for ASEAN representatives to engage with Uganda’s dynamic initiatives and explore its thriving sectors ripe for investment. It also laid the groundwork for continued collaboration, Dorcus said.

Looking ahead, Uganda’s High Commission plans to maintain momentum by running a media promotional campaign in Malaysia and hosting a series of business conventions in 2025.

These events, to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, and Bangkok, will bring together private sector leaders from Uganda and ASEAN to explore partnerships in trade, technology, tourism, agro-processing, and more.

Addressing the delegates she hosted to a dinner, which was graced by Minister of State for Tourism, Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Bagiire Vincent and UTB CEO Lilly Ajarova, among other diginatries, Amb. Bigombe said the initiative is at its core intended to "change the Asian mindset not just about Uganda but about Africa"

Bigombe emphasized Asia’s immense potential as a key source market for tourists to Uganda, giving examples of the growing economies like that of Indonesia which is the 5th largest in the world.

Tourism State Minister, Mugarra expressed pleasure at the efforts made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and missions abroad.

He thanked Uganda Mission in Malaysia for its assistance in sponsoring many of the activities in Kampala and during the fam trip.

He explained that even though the UTB organized the logistics, the Kuala Lumpur mission was sensitive to their financial constraints and remitted funds to ensure UTB executed flawlessly.

Mugarra  pledged to support the call by Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more resources, given what the Ministry has shown it can do with very little .

"We shall support you in your requests for more finances in cabinet, in the Ministry of Finance and in Parliament," he declared.