Uganda will for the next one month feature on Season 20 of Échappées Belles, a French Weekly discovery Documentary broadcast on Saturday evenings on France 5 Television following the initial national broadcast on Saturday April 25th 2026.
The TV program “ Échappées Belles” (Great escapes) features lesser-known places with incredible tourist spots that offer beautiful landscapes, where the famous host of the show, Ismaël Khelifa, explores areas like a local. The Uganda episode, funded under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Program, was sponsored by the Uganda Embassy in Paris to enhance destination visibility and credibility to the French public. It details an 11-day safari itinerary for a group visiting Uganda’s national parks, including gorilla trekking, game drives, and cultural experiences
The TV France 5 Monde broadcast was preceded by a high-profile Premiere event hosted by Uganda’s Ambassador to France, Doreen Amule at the prestigious La Marina Des Maqeureaux in Paris, on April 16th 2026, targeting key French stakeholders like tour operators, journalists, and decision-makers to foster partnerships and media coverage. The Premiere aimed to boost Uganda’s soft power and international appeal to tour operators and tourism buyers in France, while at the same time demonstrating Uganda’s ability to meet international standards and project a premium image.
“We are incredibly proud of the strong media exposure Uganda is receiving,” said Amb. Amule addressing the audience at the Premiere in Paris. “Europe has long explored the world, but we believe the world’s best-kept secret is waiting for French travelers in Uganda.”
Film maker and show host Ismaël Khelifa said of his experience shooting on location “Uganda is a true treasure of biodiversity thanks to its incredibly warm people, exceptional nature and abundant wildlife”.
Head of Public Diplomacy, Margaret Kafeero who attended the event said that it was important for Uganda to harness the gift of authentic storytelling but also to understand the culture of the source market. “… 80% of French people decide to travel to a place primarily because they have seen it on Television. It is therefore laudable that the Uganda Embassy in Paris is responsive to French culture and is customizing content for the channels through which they consume information.”
Senior Brand Manager at the Uganda Tourism Board Mr. Daniel Irunga explained the significance of the Premiere ahead of the national broadcast “The Premiere delivered an immersive, memorable experience with compelling storytelling directly to strategic partners in tourism, converting awareness into action by inspiring inclusion of Uganda in travel offerings and media narratives in France”, he said adding that “ The UTB would like to see more of our Missions abroad getting involved in customized content development for their local audiences, the way Uganda Embassy Paris has done.”
Following its national broadcast on TV5 Monde Europe, Échappées Belles- Ouganda can also be watched on the YouTube channel here:
