The Uganda High Commission in London is preparing to host a Tourism Investment Roundtable ahead of the World Travel Market (WTM) London, with discussions expected to focus on attracting foreign investment into Uganda’s tourism infrastructure.
The planned meeting follows talks between Uganda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ambassador to Ireland, Nimisha Madhvani, and Paul Hoskins of the International Tourism Investment Corporation (ITIC).
The two discussed possible cooperation in identifying international investors interested in financing tourism projects in Uganda, particularly hotels, eco-tourism lodges, transport and facilities at major tourist destinations.
The roundtable, to be convened by ITIC and hosted by the Uganda High Commission, is expected to bring together international investors, tourism developers and Ugandan officials to discuss available investment opportunities and possible partnerships.
Uganda is seeking investment to improve accommodation, transport and visitor facilities around its major attractions, including mountain gorilla habitats, national parks, the source of the River Nile and cultural heritage sites.
The planned meeting comes ahead of WTM London, an international travel trade exhibition that brings together tourism operators, destinations and industry representatives from across the world.
The High Commission is using the event to engage potential investors and identify projects that could attract private financing.
Tourism remains one of Uganda’s sources of foreign exchange earnings, with the government seeking to increase visitor spending, expand accommodation capacity and create employment through further investment in the sector.
The proposed roundtable forms part of Uganda’s economic diplomacy efforts to attract foreign capital into tourism and other sectors under the country’s Vision 2040 development agenda.
