Uganda is showcasing its tourism and investment opportunities at the International & French Travel Market (IFTM) Top Resa 2026, France's premier business-to-business tourism trade fair, taking place from September 15 to 17 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
The Embassy of the Republic of Uganda in Paris is coordinating Uganda's participation at the annual tourism trade fair, with the country exhibiting at Stand T072.
Uganda's delegation includes Doreen Ruth Amule, Ambassador of Uganda to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, and Susan Nakawuki, Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.
This marks Uganda's third consecutive participation in IFTM Top Resa and is being organised under the Government of Uganda's Economic and Commercial Diplomacy (ECD) Programme.
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The Embassy is participating alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the Uganda Tourism Board and the Uganda Wildlife Authority, as well as 11 private-sector Destination Management Companies (DMCs).
The participating DMCs are Africa Adventure Vacations, Cheetah Safaris Uganda, Destination Jungle, Grassrootz Adventures, Home to Africa, Ibis Adventures, Kazinga Tours, Let's Go Travel, Sites Travel Uganda, Tripcare Adventures and Terrace Safaris.
The Government is positioning itself as a facilitator through policy, conservation, infrastructure development and market access, while the private sector plays a key role in packaging, marketing, selling and delivering tourism experiences.
As a business and deal-making platform, IFTM Top Resa provides an opportunity for French and European buyers to engage directly with Ugandan tourism operators and establish commercial partnerships.
Uganda welcomed 1,642,215 international visitors in 2025, representing a 19.7 per cent year-on-year increase and exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to provisional data from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.
Tourism revenues reached USD 1.62 billion, an increase of 21.3 per cent.
France is now among Uganda's top 10 international source markets, with 7,439 French visitors recorded in 2025--more than double the number recorded in 2024.
French travellers are also considered a high-value market, with average expenditure exceeding USD 2,025 and stays ranging from eight to more than 15 nights.
Tourism remains a key pillar of Uganda's Tenfold Growth Strategy, which targets a USD 500 billion economy by 2040.
Beyond tourism, France remains an important investment partner for Uganda.
According to the Bank of Uganda's 2023 Foreign Direct Investment Report, the latest available report cited by the Embassy, French foreign direct investment exceeded USD 1.6 billion in 2023, accounting for 53 per cent of total inflows.
Ahead of IFTM Top Resa, the Embassy launched a high-visibility tourism promotion campaign in Paris, featuring three fully branded Uganda buses operating on central routes, including routes around the Eiffel Tower.
The campaign is estimated to have generated up to eight million out-of-home advertising impressions.
"Our objective goes beyond promotion. Under the ECD Programme, we are equipping French and European trade partners with the tools and direct contacts to sell Uganda effectively, while advancing investment, air connectivity and long-term partnerships that benefit Ugandans," said Amule.
The Embassy is targeting 13,000 visitors from France and 18,000 visitors from France, Spain and Portugal combined.
At IFTM Top Resa 2026, Uganda is presenting a product aligned with French demand for authenticity, nature, adventure and sustainability: over half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, Big Five safaris across ten National Parks, Rwenzori Mountains trekking, Nile experiences, and world-class birding and community tourism.
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The offer is supported by major hospitality investments, including the 181-room Kampala Marriott Hotel, Hemingway's Hotel in Entebbe near Entebbe International Airport, and new lodges in protected areas such as Erebero Hills and Gorilla Forest Lodge in Bwindi, Namoni Lodge near Kidepo Valley, Kulu Ora in Murchison Falls and Paradise Island Resort on Lake Victoria, with Hilton Kampala scheduled for 2027.
Meetings at IFTM will advance partnerships around flagship events that create new itineraries for French operators, including the Race the Nile ULTRA Explorer Edition in Arua in November 2026 (800km gravel race), the Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted with Kenya and Tanzania in June-July 2027, the Rwenzori Marathon on 21-22 August 2027, and the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) in Kampala from 20-22 May 2027.
