The 8th edition of the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE), held at the Speke Resort Convention Center Munyonyo in May 2024 was deemed, by sector stakeholders, the best organized among all the editions.
One of the major winning points, as per participants’ accounts, was the indoor exhibition space which gave the event immunity against the unforgiving weather changes – the rains that ravaged the stalls in 2023 being a rude reminder of the element.
“I wasn’t an exhibitor last year (2023), I was a participant. However, the face of the exhibition grounds was not one to sell Uganda after the heavy rains. I am so glad that the responsible authorities have done the necessary arrangements to have the event indoors because weather changes won’t affect our operations now,” Christina Nampewo, the Executive Director Native Expeditions Safaris who was an exhibitor during the POATE 2024 told PrimeNews on day one.
Many other exhibitors engaged by this website during the course of the Expo shared Nampewo’s sentiment.
Away from the exhibition bit, tourism enthusiasts who attended the various symposiums on day one and day two of the Expo, as PrimeNews gathered, commended the excellent selection of panelists who led topical discussions that made the edition’s theme – Responsible Tourism – more appealing and digestible for the audiences.
Experts like Dr. loannis Pappas, Director Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) who broke down tenets of responsible tourism and the global sustainability standards in travel and tourism, and Tom Vanneste, the Resident Representative for Enabel Uganda who dissected Fair Trade Tourism under the economic aspect of responsible tourism left attendees more in touch with the concepts.
Apart from a few technical glitches particularly on the B2B meetings booking portal, as pointed out by some exhibitors like Solayappan Narayanan of India-based Savvy Hospitality, generally POATE 2024 gave participants their time and resources’ worth.
POATE 2024 attracted 240 exhibitors, 70 hosted buyers and 3,050 consumers who flocked the event for seminars, meetings and the exhibition. 3,000 consumers highlighted the growing recognition of Uganda’s tourism offerings through the expo, as per the post-event survey results from Uganda Tourism Board (UTB).
This, however, leaves a daunting question, will edition 9, which is a couple of weeks away, measure up? What should participants look forward to?
POATE 2025 – What’s New?
Themed “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation: Explore Uganda – An Adventure of a Lifetime”, POATE 2025 re-echoes the industry stakeholders’ commitment to drive sustainable tourism, foster innovations, and reinforce Uganda’s position as a must-visit destination for travelers world over.
Following last year’s “Responsible Tourism” themed discussions, the POATE 2025 theme further reinforces the ideals of sustainability in a dynamic tourism industry that’s reshaping practices to minimize its negative socioeconomic and environmental impacts while generating greater economic benefits for the people and the host communities.
According to Doreen Katusiime, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the theme for this year’s POATE “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation” speaks to greening the tourism bio-chain to ensure that the industry grows in an environmentally responsible manner and embracing digital transformation by leveraging technology, enhancing tourism services, improving accessibility and driving global competitiveness.
“Sustainability in tourism is vital for preserving our cultural heritage, protecting the environment, and ensuring long-term economic benefits,” Katusiime says.
The event is expected to draw in 260 exhibitors, 70 hosted buyers and over 5,000 trade visitors and consumers.
Speaking at the launch of POATE 2025 held at the Speke Resort Convention Center, Munyonyo on February 26, Vivian Lyazzi, the Acting commissioner Tourism Development department at the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities noted that one of the objectives of this year’s edition is to attract a significant number of international visitors into the country which will broaden the audience as Uganda showcases her tourism offerings.
“As we continue to showcase our tourism industry, interest among international travelers is already high. Our goal is to maximize this momentum and position Uganda as a top destination for travelers seeking unique and diverse tourism experiences,” Lyazzi said.
He added that there will also be a focus on Regional Tourism which happens to be Uganda’s largest tourist source market with countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda among others contributing 80% to 90% of the total inbound tourist traffic to Uganda.
The Regional Tourism sessions will discuss topics like Transboundary product development, Inspiring regional travel & promoting as one will be discussed. This will be conducted under theme; Borderless Borders with engagements among the key Tourism Ministers from the region, tourism boards, IGAD, UNECA and regional corporations.
“These speakers will highlight strategies for enhancing regional collaborations, improving cross-border tourism initiatives, and positioning Uganda as a preferred destination for travelers within the East African,” he said.
Among other discussions, Tourism Investment which will tackle Hospitality investment trends and opportunities, Financing tourism, and Green investment is key, as well as Destination Marketing which will explore; Domestic tourism marketing, Regional tourism marketing, and E Tourism Marketing.
In this year’s POATE Edition, Uganda will also be showcasing elements of her people’s lifestyle from culinary, crafts and artisans to traditional and contemporary fashion shows.
These will encompass among others; traditional dish preparations and a mix of Uganda’s street treats like the renowned ‘rolex’, hands-on learning at making handcrafted items like woven baskets and beaded jewelry, as well as runway shows featuring traditional attire and how it’s being incorporated into modern fashion.
Also read: POATE Fostering Tourism Business in East Africa
POATE 2025 – A Step on the Million-Mile Growth Journey
In her remarks at the launch, PS Katusiime noted that POATE 2025 is a key milestone in the Ministry’s journey towards achieving the industry’s tenfold growth strategy.
The ‘strategy’ envisions increasing tourism’s contribution to Uganda’s GDP by ten times or 25 times in the coming years.
POATE 2025, Katusiime underscored, will open doors for new partnerships and investments that will propel Uganda’s tourism industry to new heights.
She said, “By attracting global attention and bringing international travel agents to operate tourism business in the country, we are achieving the goal of improving tourism’s contribution to the world.”
Tourism is among the four key growth sectors in Uganda’s National Development Strategy under the National Development Plan four (NDP IV). Casually referred to as ATMS, these sectors are; Agro-Industrialization, Tourism Development, Mineral-based Industrial Development and Science, Technology, and Innovation.