The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) led by CEO Lilly Ajarova has today (Wednesday 27th November) launched the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) 2020 with an aim of increasing the number of visitors to Uganda.
The annual tourism and travel trade exhibition brings together regional and international tour operators, travel agents, destination agencies and various players in the tourism trade to network and facilitate tourism business.
The launch was held at Speke Resort Munyonyo where our CEO Mr Eddy Kirya was one of the delegated behind the launch of POATE 2020 that will run from February 4 to 6, 2020 and will be held at the Speke Resort in Munyonyo.
Next year’s expo will integrate a business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) trade event format.
It will be themed “Inspiring high value engagement to promote intra-Africa travel for leisure, business and adventure”.
UTB says the expo is aimed at raising Uganda’s profile as a preferred destination in the region and internationally.
State Minister for Tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi presided over the media launch at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
UTB Board Chairman, Daudi Migereko noted that POATE was a strategic avenue to market and promote the country to a group of select hosted buyers in a broader goal to increase tourist arrivals to Uganda as per the UTB strategic plan.
“Trade expos have been to drive high value engagement and the focus on Africa is timely for Uganda given the recent interest of travellers on the continent.
The UTB Chief Executive, Lilly Ajarova said that POATE is one of the key strategies for the promotion of Uganda’s tourism in the region and across the world.
The expo facilitates key linkages through hosted buyers between tourists and our domestic tour operators. Furthermore, it allows Uganda to showcase directly to various groups of hosted buyers who play a key role in the increment of visitor arrivals.
“On a week-long FAM trip, we shall host and showcase to hosted buyers to some of Uganda’s unique experiences and gems and ensure a rich and memorable experience so they get a hands-on sense of Uganda as a tourist destination”.
Hosted buyers will include tour agents, travel media, hoteliers; among others and over 70 hosted buyers are expected from Uganda’s key source markets such as Africa, North America, Canada, UK, Germany, Switzerland, among others,” Ajarova noted.
The first two days of the event will constitute seminars and workshops, B2B meetings and conferences while the last day will be open to the public for B2C engagements between the public and attending exhibitors and hosted buyers.
Commenting on the same, Pearl Horeau, the President of the Uganda Tourism Association said that the expo will present an exciting opportunity for tourism private sector to network and develop their tourism and travel business directly.
“As private sector, we are positive about the potential business that POATE will bring to Uganda. The focus on the African market is a step in the right direction as the continent provides a number of opportunities for intra-travel trade evidenced by the number of African tourist coming to Uganda and other countries.” Horeau said.
Figures
In terms of arrivals, Uganda’s international tourism performance in 2018 was above the rate of continental and global tourism growth.
Tourists from international air accounted for approximately 31% of the total international tourist arrivals to Uganda in 2018, growing by 10.2% compared to the previous year. Growth was recorded from Europe (+13.8%), the Americas (+9.2%), Asia (+10.2%) and the Middle East (+9.7%) in 2018. African land markets (regional and neighboring countries) that entered Uganda by road make up 69% of Uganda’s international arrivals, and grew by 6.1% in 2018.
The biggest number of tourist arrivals to Uganda in 2018 was from Africa. The top ten sources of tourist arrivals into Uganda made up about 82 per cent of the total arrivals.
Kenya and Rwanda combined to provide 55 percent of all tourist arrivals in 2018. The other top ten markets were Tanzania (7%), U.S. (4%), Dem. Republic of Congo (3%), Burundi (3%), South Sudan (3%), India (3%), United Kingdom (2%), and South Africa (2%).
Uganda witnessed a 7.4% increase in international tourist arrivals in 2018, growing from 1,402,409 in 2017 to 1,506,669 in 2018. Direct revenue from international tourism rose to US$1.6 billion in 2018, compared to US$1.453 billion in 2017.
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