Over the weekend, Uganda was honored with the Most Promising New Destination award at the recently concluded Outbound Travel Market (OTM) in Bombay, India.
The award was received by Uganda’s High Commissioner to India, Prof Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda, on behalf of the Ugandan delegation. It was presented by Sanjav Agarwal, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fairfest Media Ltd, the chief organizers of the event.
OTM, the leading Indo-Asia tourism expo, took place from January 30 to February 1, 2025. This prestigious annual event attracts numerous sellers and buyers of tourism products from around the world.
Nine Ugandan destination marketing companies participated in the premier tourism event, including: Busunga Tours & Travel Ltd, Moments Beyond Borders, Country Sights, Nandi Adventures, Ameera Africa Safaris, Speke Uganda Holidays, Crystal Safaris & Lodges and Uganda Safari Company.
For a pavilion or stand to be recognized as the Best Exhibitor, judges evaluate based on a predetermined criterion, including client feedback. Uganda’s pavilion emerged as the most visited and highly rated stand among outbound and inbound tourism market participants.
This recognition affirms that Uganda successfully achieved its objective at the event: positioning itself as a prime alternative tourism destination in the heart of Africa. The country showcased its diverse attractions, including primate tracking, birdwatching with over 1,200 species, cultural and heritage experiences, safaris, freshwater lakes and rivers, adventure tourism, and more.
This publication has learned that, within the next two months, the Uganda High Commission in New Delhi, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, plans to organize a familiarization (FAM) trip for leading Indian tour operators.
This initiative aims to provide firsthand experience of Uganda’s tourism products, enabling tour operators to recommend the destination to their clientele.
Additionally, the mission is targeting influencers, including top travel and tourism magazines, as well as Bollywood actors and producers with large social media followings, to break into the 19.5 million-strong Indian travel market.
The Observer has also learned that renowned Indian film producer and celebrity Ramji, who had previously begun work in Uganda, has renewed his commitment to producing a film showcasing the country’s iconic tourism attractions and scenic landscapes.
With a potential audience of over 50 million people across India and Asia, such a film could significantly boost Uganda’s tourism industry, potentially attracting at least one million visitors.
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Convince me.
This is another of the many organizations pumping hot air in African tourism. One believes modern tourism is a two way destination. For India to enjoy Uganda tourism it should be the same for Uganda to enjoy the tourism of India. But now what is on the ground other than tourism being for the rich with their money. There are very many countries on planet earth that have very beautiful scenery that can make some one believe that God indeed created this world. Such a small dot such as our planet is, there are millions of most impressive planets very many light years away where humans will never see how beautiful they look like. It is high time planet earth tourism became for all humanity other than for the few rich souls! These sorts of lies that Uganda is the best place for tourism is very much about dodgy politics when the country has failed to even improve on one of the first railways to run in the hinter land of Africa some 100 years ago and counting!