Uganda wins best exquisite destination award at India’s OTM 2026
With a target of 2.5 million annual visitors by 2030, Uganda is increasingly diversifying its source markets while positioning itself as a premium, sustainable tourism destination.
Uganda was named Best Exquisite Destination at the Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) 2026, held from February 5–7 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India, marking another major milestone in the country’s global tourism promotion drive.
The award was presented to Uganda’s High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Prof. Joyce Kikafunda, who led the national delegation at the event. Uganda’s participation was coordinated by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in collaboration with Uganda Airlines, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and private sector tourism stakeholders.
UTB Chief Executive Officer Juliana Kagwa said the exhibition yielded strong commercial outcomes, particularly with the Indian travel market. She noted that engagements with Indian tour operators, travel agents, and media houses had already resulted in new partnerships aimed at joint destination promotion.
“These discussions have opened doors for collaborative marketing initiatives, and we expect significant growth in arrivals from the Indian market,” Kagwa said.
The recognition aligns with Uganda’s Vision 2040, which identifies tourism as a strategic driver of foreign exchange earnings, employment creation, and inclusive economic growth. Government officials view the growing tourism engagement with India as a platform for expanding bilateral relations beyond travel, into trade, investment, and cultural exchange.
Uganda’s latest accolade builds on momentum from OTM 2025, where the country was named Most Promising New Destination. Improved air connectivity has played a key role in sustaining this progress, with Uganda Airlines operating direct flights to Mumbai since 2023 and maintaining interline agreements with Air India, enhancing accessibility for Indian travelers.
OTM is South Asia’s largest travel trade exhibition, attracting over 50,000 industry professionals and more than 2,200 exhibitors from over 60 countries. Uganda’s pavilion showcased the country’s flagship attractions, including mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park, and classic wildlife safaris across its protected areas, underscoring a coordinated public-private approach to destination marketing.
“This award underscores Uganda’s distinctive offerings in authentic African tourism and supports our broader objectives for sustainable economic development,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Tourism contributes approximately 7.3 percent of Uganda’s GDP and supports more than 1.5 million jobs. In the 2024/2025 financial year, international tourist arrivals rose by 15 percent, generating $1.2 billion in revenue, reflecting a strong post-pandemic recovery driven by improved infrastructure and conservation efforts. Uganda is home to more than half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, a cornerstone of its high-value tourism proposition.
The OTM award adds to a growing list of international recognitions, including Best in Show – Africa at the January 2026 Travel & Adventure Show in New York, highlighting Uganda’s aggressive and sustained destination marketing strategy.
With a target of 2.5 million annual visitors by 2030, Uganda is increasingly diversifying its source markets while positioning itself as a premium, sustainable tourism destination.
Often referred to as the “Pearl of Africa,” Uganda continues to leverage its rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, and improved connectivity to strengthen its presence on the global tourism map.
