Uganda Tourism Board engages editors to strategically package Uganda’s Tourism story ahead of AFCON 2027
David GOMBE
As Uganda gears up for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) today hosted a Media Engagement Breakfast at the Kampala Serena Hotel, bringing together editors and producers from across the country’s leading media houses for a dialogue on tourism priorities, quality standards, marketing direction and the regulatory environment shaping the sector.
The engagement featured a moderated panel discussion with UTB’s Head of Marketing, QA Manager and Head of Legal, followed by a presentation from the Head of Public Relations on the Board’s strategic priorities and an open discussion session where media representatives shared feedback and raised questions directly with UTB leadership.
Speaking at the event, the Head of Public Relations, Dr. Gessa Simplicious, said:
“Today’s engagement is about building a stronger, more collaborative relationship with the media as we tell Uganda’s tourism story together. Our media partners are essential to how the world sees and experiences Uganda, and we wanted to create space for open, honest conversation as Uganda is open for business.”
Francis Nyende, the Head of Marketing at UTB, spoke to the Board’s marketing direction:
“We are blessed with incredible natural and cultural wealth, but these gifts must be strategically packaged and commercialized so the world can experience them. As we reaffirm through our dialogue today, by strengthening our partnerships, expanding our content resources, and working hand-in-hand with both mainstream media and international networks, we are ensuring that Uganda’s unique story is not only told, but truly amplified across every market we want to reach.”
Nyende also hinted on sports tourism:
“We have shown a lot of interest in sports tourism. It’s a journey that we are still doing. We are working with some sports federations that are willing to bring sports events here like the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. We are always on hand to help every federation willing to work with us so that we can amplify tourism together. We are also making a good case so that we can get to the standards like Rwanda is doing in sponsoring European teams.”
On quality standards across the sector, Quality Assurance Manager Samora Semakula noted:
“As we emphasize in our engagement today, our role in quality assurance goes far beyond basic oversight, as we manage the entire tourism value chain, from licensed operators and safe transport to world-class accommodations, ensuring every visitor enjoys guaranteed safety, comfort, and a seamless, high-quality experience across Uganda.”
On the regulatory front, Ida Wadda, the Head of Legal at UTB, emphasised the need for media practitioners to understand and differentiate UTB’s mandate:
“Fulfilling our core mandate goes beyond destination marketing; it requires structured collaboration with the private sector, strict adherence to quality standards, and a shared national commitment to ensuring Uganda’s tourism growth reaches every corner of the country.”
The event closed with a pledge board signing, group photo moments and lunch, symbolizing participants’ shared commitment to strengthening tourism storytelling and media collaboration going forward as Uganda gears up to co-host AFCON 2027.