Uganda has consolidated its entry into Switzerland's lucrative adventure tourism market by making its debut appearance with a country pavilion at the 34th FESPO and Golfmesse 2026 in Zurich, positioning itself among established global tourism players targeting high-end European travellers.
The four-day tourism expo, running from January 29 to February 1, 2026, is Switzerland's largest travel exhibition, attracting more than 42,000 visitors and over 500 exhibitors planning long-haul and summer holiday travel.
Uganda joined countries such as Italy, Jordan, Australia, Indonesia and South Africa in marketing its tourism products to adventure seekers, culture travellers and premium holidaymakers.
Stephan Amstad, the Exhibition Manager at FESPO, described Uganda's participation as historic.
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"In our 34th year, FESPO welcomes Uganda as the second African country after South Africa to have a country pavilion, which is a welcome development," he said.
Uganda's pavilion was sponsored by the Uganda Mission to the Swiss Confederation under the Government's Economic and Commercial Diplomacy programme, with subsidised participation of 13 members of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO).
The delegation included officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), the Ministry of Agriculture's Department of Coffee, and members of the Ugandan diaspora in Switzerland.
Leading the delegation, the Minister of State for Tourism, Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, said the Zurich engagement would inform product development for the Swiss market.
"Our presence in Zurich provides the opportunity to establish first-hand the Swiss traveller's profile and to customize product development and market infrastructure interventions accordingly," he said.
UTB Chief Executive Officer Juliana Kaggwa said participation at FESPO offered critical market intelligence.
"We have an opportunity to benchmark marketing material and improve on what we already have as the Uganda Tourism Board, while at the same time networking with Swiss tour operators selling African destinations to customize materials," she said.
Kaggwa noted that producing tourism materials in multiple languages was essential for the Swiss market despite its relatively small population.
AUTO members at the expo emphasised the importance of sustained market engagement. Anjelica Evans of Let's Go Travel said consistency was key to building trust in Switzerland.
"Familiarity in the Swiss market builds trust," she said, citing Uganda's experience in Germany, where sustained participation at ITB Berlin led to increased visibility and sales.
"If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consistently supports a Ugandan stand at FESPO Zurich for the next four years, we should see massive recognition and returns on sales."
Deputy Permanent Representative of Uganda to the Swiss Confederation, Arthur Kafeero, cautioned against applying uniform tourism strategies across different Swiss regions.
"Venturing into markets without adequate research can lead to wrong product design and placement," he said, explaining that cultural differences across French, German and Italian-speaking Switzerland required tailored tourism products.
Kafeero said Swiss travellers were experienced adventurers who valued outdoor activities, peace and quiet, cycling and hiking over mass tourism.
"Our brand promise in this market should speak to this reality," he added.
According to the Ministry of Finance, Uganda's tourism earnings reached USD 1.7 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, driven by improved security, infrastructure investment, increased competitiveness and economic diplomacy initiatives.
Richard Kabonero, Team Lead of the Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Hub at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said government-backed pavilions were designed to link Swiss clients directly to Ugandan tour operators.
"The idea behind a Government pavilion is to bring potential Swiss clients directly in touch with Ugandan tour operators rather than lose revenue to third-party sellers," he said.
Hannington Ashaba, Acting Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, said firsthand observation of ECD programmes would inform budget priorities for tourism infrastructure in the 2026/27 financial year.
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He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would maintain Shs120 billion for ECD activities, while funding to the Ministry of Tourism and UTB would be scaled up from the current Shs430 billion allocation.
Veteran tour operator Felex Musinguzi of Kazinga Tours said Swiss tourists demanded high-quality service delivery.
"You must deliver as promised, or they will never trust you again," he said, noting that peer recommendations and online reviews strongly influenced Swiss travel decisions.
CBI tourism expert Mirjam Moine said FESPO provided Ugandan operators with an opportunity to understand Switzerland's travel trade structure through targeted business engagements.
She noted that the market was dominated by major generalist tour operators such as Globetrotter, Hotelplan and Touristik Suisse.
At FESPO 2026, Uganda showcased scenic landscapes, hiking trails, cycling tours, golf course hotels, international sports events, cultural heritage and premium coffee as part of its strategy to strengthen brand identity among high-end Swiss travellers.
