Uganda has secured major international visibility following its feature on Season 20 of the French travel documentary series Échappées Belles, broadcast on France 5 Television every Saturday evening after its initial airing on April 25, 2026.
The episode showcases Uganda's landscapes, wildlife, and cultural heritage through an 11-day safari itinerary, including gorilla trekking, game drives, and immersive community experiences across national parks.
The programme, hosted by French filmmaker and presenter Ismaël Khelifa, is known for exploring lesser-known global destinations from a local perspective, highlighting authentic travel experiences.
The Uganda feature was funded under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Programme and sponsored by the Uganda Embassy in Paris. It is part of broader efforts to strengthen destination visibility and credibility among French travellers.
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Ahead of the broadcast, the Embassy hosted a high-profile premiere event on April 16, 2026, at La Marina des Maquereaux in Paris. The event brought together tour operators, journalists, and key tourism stakeholders aimed at promoting Uganda as a high-value travel destination.
Uganda's Ambassador to France, Doreen Amule, said the country is positioning itself more boldly in global tourism markets.
"We are incredibly proud of the strong media exposure Uganda is receiving. Europe has long explored the world, but we believe the world's best-kept secret is waiting for French travellers in Uganda," she said.
Host Ismaël Khelifa praised Uganda's natural and cultural richness following the shoot.
"Uganda is a true treasure of biodiversity thanks to its incredibly warm people, exceptional nature and abundant wildlife," he said.
Margaret Kafeero, Head of Public Diplomacy, highlighted the importance of tailoring tourism communication to audience behaviour, noting that a large share of French travellers are influenced by television exposure when choosing destinations.
She said Uganda's approach reflects effective cultural targeting and storytelling in destination marketing.
Uganda Tourism Board Senior Brand Manager Daniel Irunga described the premiere as a strategic engagement tool that goes beyond awareness creation.
He said the experience helped convert interest into action by encouraging inclusion of Uganda in French travel packages and media narratives, adding that Ugandan missions abroad should increasingly adopt similar customised content strategies for their markets.
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Following its France 5 broadcast, the Uganda episode of Échappées Belles is also available online via TV5 Monde platforms and YouTube.
