Uganda is expanding its international tourism promotion strategy beyond gorilla trekking and traditional wildlife safaris, with a renewed focus on culture, food, heritage, and community experiences aimed at attracting more European travelers.
The initiative is being spearheaded by Uganda’s Embassy in Paris, which has partnered with TANKE Creative Influence Agency to host a group of European media influencers and culinary storytellers on a familiarization trip across Northern Uganda.
The cultural and culinary expedition forms part of a broader tourism campaign designed to position Uganda as a diverse and immersive travel destination through storytelling, gastronomy, culture, wildlife, and authentic local experiences.
Uganda’s Ambassador to France, Doreen Amule, said the campaign seeks to expose foreign visitors to the country’s identity beyond what is commonly marketed in travel brochures.
According to Amule, Uganda’s tourism strength lies not only in its famous wildlife attractions but also in its people, favorable climate, cultural diversity, and everyday way of life.
Officials say the strategy reflects a growing global tourism trend in which travelers increasingly seek authentic cultural experiences, local cuisine, and deeper engagement with communities rather than conventional sightseeing alone.
Northern Uganda, which is central to the current campaign, offers rich cultural traditions, historical sites, unique cuisines, music, dance, and landscapes that tourism promoters believe remain largely underexplored internationally.
The Embassy hopes that the influencers and storytellers participating in the tour will amplify Uganda’s image across European digital platforms and media networks, helping attract new categories of tourists interested in experiential and cultural travel.
Tourism remains one of Uganda’s leading foreign exchange earners and a major contributor to employment and economic growth. Government statistics indicate that the sector contributes nearly six percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and supports more than 876,000 jobs directly and indirectly.
The government has also identified tourism as one of the strategic sectors expected to drive Uganda’s ambitious long-term economic transformation agenda over the next 15 years.
Industry stakeholders say diversifying tourism marketing beyond gorillas and safaris could help Uganda compete more effectively with other African destinations while increasing tourist stay, spending, and regional travel across the country.
