Uganda is preparing to host the 10th edition of the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) on May 21-23 at Speke Resort Monyonyo, as the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) steps up its pursuit of higher-spending international visitors, ATTA reported on April 29.
The annual trade show, organised by UTB, brings together tourism value chain actors and stakeholders across both business-to-business and business-to-consumer formats for networking and deal-making. This year’s edition carries the theme “Wanderlust.”
Ahead of the expo, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, working alongside UTB, has hosted delegations of tour operators, travel professionals, and media teams from Turkey, Egypt, China, and Canada on in-country familiarisation visits designed to give buyers firsthand experience of Uganda’s wildlife, cultural, and adventure offerings.
The strategy follows a record-breaking 2025, in which Uganda earned $1.7bn in tourism revenue, up from $1.28bn the previous year, with international arrivals rising from 1.3 million to 1.65 million visitors. atta
Canada has emerged as a standout growth market, with interest up 19% year on year. The broader push reflects a shift in focus from visitor volume to visitor value, targeting travellers who stay longer and spend more. atta
POATE 2026 will feature both business-to-business and business-to-consumer engagements, offering a platform for networking, product showcasing, and knowledge exchange, with the expo further positioning Uganda as a destination for sustainable, inclusive, and community-led tourism. utb
UTB Chief Executive Juliana Kagwa said the pre-expo outreach was integral to the board’s commercial approach. “By the time our partners arrive, they already understand the destination, which allows us to move faster from conversations to actual business.”