President Yoweri Museveni has heaped praises on the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) for the exposure it has brought on Uganda as a tourism destination and investment hub.
Museveni, in his speech read by the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja at the opening ceremony of the 9th edition of POATE today at the Speke Convention Center, Munyonyo, noted that the Expo is a gateway not only to Uganda but the East African Region as a whole.
“Drawing together tourism stakeholders, business leaders, media and investors from all corners of the world, the participation of over 3,000 delegates from more than 50 countries this year, is proof of the increasing global interest in Uganda and the East African region. This Expo stands as a gateway to Uganda, East Africa and the rest of Africa,” the President wrote.
He further noted that the Expo creates a platform for the formation of cross border networks, trade synergies and investment opportunities that benefit all participating nations.
Business to Business (B2B) sessions, knowledge exchanges, exhibitions and familiarization trips – all scheduled events at POATE – have the potential to translate into long-term economic growth, destination visibility and improvement of livelihoods, the President added.
This year’s expo has drawn in 300 exhibitors, 100 hosted buyers and media representatives from about 50 countries across the globe, some of which are Uganda’s key source markets such as the Kenya, D.R.C, Rwanda, Tanzania, the U.K, Asia and U.S.A, according to statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities – the organizers.
Museveni pledged government’s commitment towards transforming tourism into a cornerstone of socio-economic transformation through Vision 2040 and the 10-fold growth strategy.
“This commitment is evident in continued investment in tourism infrastructure, product diversification and capacity building to create an enabling environment for the private sector growth, community participation and international collaboration,” he said.
Uganda’s approach to sustainable destination development, he added, is also aligned with the principles of green growth, digital adaptation and cultural preservation.
In his remarks at the opening ceremony, the Minister of Tourism Hon. Tom Butime noted that tourism is not just a leisure industry but an engine for economic transformation, a bridge for cultural heritage and a powerful tool for regional cooperation.
Hon. Butime said that the East African community is naturally endowed with iconic features, vibrant cultures and hospitable people, all of which make a combined tourism offer that is second to none.
“The question that remains, however, is how to package and promote this shared heritage. As the East African Community, we have the single tourist visa between Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya which has already shown that cooperation delivers results. The mutual recognition of tourism professionals, regional marketing platforms, collaborative participation in international expos are clear signals that we are on the right track,” the Minister said.
He noted, however, that some challenges like stringent visa and immigration policies, limited joint conventions and poor transboundary infrastructure still hinder the full development of regional tourism.
The Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC) and the East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP) Hon. Veronica Ndovu who addressed attendees during the commencement of the Regional Tourism Forum said the region has made strides towards tourism promotion as a block.
Being the only region in Africa that has a common classification system for tourism establishments, Ndovu says this fosters standards enforcement in hospitality across the region and thus serves the tourism sector better.
Ndovu also noted that other innovative policies have been put in place to bolster regional tourism growth such as preferential entry fees for EAC residents to key tourist attractions, the single tourist visa for Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, use of National IDs as travel documents and joint participation in international fairs.
POATE 2025 is running from today May 21st to Saturday May 24th themed Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.
Key symposiums including Regional Tourism, Tourism Investment and Destination marketing with their line subtopics are the discussions lined up for day 1, 2 and 3 of the Expo. Day 4 will be the POATE Festival with activities like hosted buyer meetings, culinary exhibition, fashion and culture show, Boat Regatta and a night concert.