Uganda and Kenya Sign Three Tourism Agreements in Mombasa, Pitch a 'Beach to Bush' Circuit

Uganda and Kenya tourism agreements are now on paper. On 26 October, the opening day of the fifth Uganda–Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit in Mombasa, private-sector bodies from both countries signed three memorandums of understanding covering tour operators, travel agents and wider trade and investment. The deals are the first concrete result of a meeting that Zuri previewed earlier this month, and they set the stage for a promised communiqué with deadlines that could shape how East Africa's busiest cross-border tourism corridor is sold and travelled.

For travellers, the headline idea is a joint "Beach to Bush, Bush to Beach" circuit that pairs Kenya's Indian Ocean coast with Uganda's gorillas, savannah parks and adventure activities in a single trip. For the industry, the agreements create formal channels between associations that until now have mostly cooperated informally.

The three agreements

The summit, held at the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa and convened by Uganda's Consulate General in Mombasa, ran on 26 and 27 October. According to reports in the Nile Post, PML Daily and UG Standard, the signings on day one were:

Tour operators: the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) and the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO) agreed to work together on sustainable tourism and regional cooperation across East Africa.

Travel agents: the Uganda Association of Travel Agents (TUGATA) and the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) signed an agreement to put the Uganda–Kenya Coast Tourism Collaboration into practice, a framework that covers innovation, investment, youth participation and regional integration.

Trade and investment: the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the Mombasa chapter of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) signed a broader deal on trade, investment and private-sector cooperation.

The reports name the organisations but not the individuals who signed, and the texts of the memorandums have not been published.

Complements, not competitors

The thinking behind the deals is that Uganda and Kenya sell different things to the same visitors. Ambassador Herbert Kiguli, Uganda's Consul General in Mombasa, said the two countries were presenting their attractions as a combined package. "Our approach is to embrace complementarity rather than competition," he said, as reported by the Nile Post.

PML Daily reported that the Beach to Bush concept links the Kenyan coast with Uganda's wildlife, adventure tourism, cultural heritage and hospitality, and that organisers expect it to benefit tour operators, hotels, transport companies and local communities. The same outlet noted that Kiguli had earlier named high air fares as a major obstacle and suggested the region be treated as a single aviation bloc so that international taxes would no longer apply to flights between Uganda and Kenya.

Uganda's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, gave the keynote address. "Tourism cooperation must go beyond promoting destinations to empowering local communities," she said, according to the Nile Post, calling for formal cooperation frameworks, business-friendly policies, better transport infrastructure and improved safety for visitors.

State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Susan Nakawuki Nsambu said "the value of this partnership lies not simply in the meetings we hold, but in the relationships we build," and asked organisers of familiarisation trips to include officials from her ministry. Ambassador Charles Ssentongo, speaking for the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the government would "continue to facilitate, work with and advocate for the interests of tourism stakeholders," and that trade barriers between the two countries are being handled through the Uganda–Kenya Joint Permanent Commission.

The numbers behind the corridor

The traffic is already substantial. Uganda Tourism Board figures cited at the summit show Kenyan visitors to Uganda rising from 466,902 in 2024 to 519,041 in 2025, and Kenya remains Uganda's largest source of foreign visitors. In the other direction, Kenya Tourism Board data put Ugandan arrivals in Kenya at 234,556 in 2025, and Kenya is aiming for 300,000 Ugandan visitors this year.

Ahead of the summit, more than 70 Ugandan tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers and Uganda Tourism Board officials spent six days on a familiarisation tour of the Kenyan coast, according to UG Standard.

What happens next

Organisers set measurable targets rather than leaving the meeting at speeches. Besides the three agreements, the summit aims to produce at least two digital tourism prototypes ready for commercial backing and at least ten business-to-business links between Ugandan and Kenyan coastal operators, with progress tracked over the next three months.

On policy, organisers plan to review Article 104 of the East African Community Treaty, which covers the free movement of people, labour and services, to identify what still slows cross-border travel. Government representatives are expected to sign a joint declaration of priority actions for the EAC Secretariat, and a communiqué setting out institutional commitments and timelines is due within two weeks. It will be reviewed at the 2027 summit.

The timing matters. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania co-host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, and PML Daily reported that operators are already planning packages that combine football with gorilla trekking, safaris and beach holidays. For background, see our story on how Uganda hopes to turn AFCON 2027 into a hotel and tourism boost, and our earlier preview of the Mombasa summit.

What it means for travellers

Nothing changes at the border or the airport yet. The agreements are between industry associations, and the policy changes discussed, from free movement to cheaper regional flights, still depend on governments and the EAC.

What travellers may notice sooner is more combined itineraries: a week on the Kenyan coast followed by gorilla trekking in Bwindi or a safari in Queen Elizabeth or Murchison Falls, sold as one package by operators on both sides. If you are planning a two-country trip now, the East Africa Tourist Visa already covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda on a single permit; see our guide to the East Africa Tourist Visa for how to apply and what it costs. Watch for the summit communiqué in early November for any firm dates on the reforms.

Photo: Ilias Bartolini / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).