Uganda Tourism Courts Poland: Six Safari Firms Meet Central European Tour Operators in Warsaw

Uganda tourism took its pitch to Central Europe this week, when the country was the official partner at the ALLinTOO tour operator workshop in Warsaw on 22 and 23 October. Six Ugandan safari companies held business meetings with tour operators from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, and the delegation invited Polish investors to look at lodges and tourism infrastructure, according to a statement from the delegation reported by Nile Post and Watchdog Uganda.

For travellers in Central Europe, the event is a sign that more Uganda safari packages could soon appear in the catalogues of their local tour operators, possibly with guides who speak their language. For Ugandan operators, it is an attempt to open a market where the country has little direct presence: Uganda has no embassy in Poland and is represented there by its embassy in Berlin.

Who went to Warsaw

The six destination management companies were Ganza Adventure, Destination Jungle, Wild Jungle Trails, Kubwa 5 Safaris, Cheetah Safaris and Crystal Safaris. According to the organisers' exhibitor listing, cited by Nile Post, Crystal Safaris offers Polish-speaking guides.

The delegation was led by Jessica Namuddu, the Second Secretary responsible for tourism at the Uganda Embassy in Berlin, together with Jennifer Asiimwe. The Berlin embassy, which is also accredited to Poland and several other Central and Eastern European countries, was the event's official sponsor.

The firms were there to sell packages and find partners. The statement did not say how many meetings were held, whether any contracts were signed, or how many Polish visitors currently travel to Uganda.

How the workshop works

ALLinTOO is a business-to-business event run by the Polish travel trade magazine All Inclusive together with the Open Tourist Organization (TOO). The Warsaw meeting, held at the Campanile PRIME Warsaw Airport hotel, was its tenth edition. Organisers expected around 80 exhibitors, with table-based meetings on the first day. Buyers are limited to tour operators looking for partners abroad, and they can book meetings with suppliers in advance through the event app.

Hungary's Lake Balaton was the partner region. The format moves between Polish cities: the Czech Republic was partner country at the spring edition in Kraków, while the Maldives and Bulgaria were partners in Poznań, where Uganda also exhibited.

More than gorillas

The Ugandan message in Warsaw was that the country offers more than mountain gorillas. The delegation promoted wildlife, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, culture and hospitality under the Explore Uganda campaign and the Uganda Tourism Board's overseas marketing.

That pitch fits the government's wider goal. At the annual tourism programme review conference in Kampala earlier this month, Finance Minister Henry Musasizi said Uganda is targeting US$5 billion a year in tourism receipts by 2030, and wants visitors to stay longer and spend more, not just to arrive in greater numbers. International arrivals reached 1.64 million in 2025, up 19.7%, and receipts rose 21.3% to about US$1.62 billion, according to figures presented at the conference. See our report on Uganda's record 2025 arrivals for the full numbers.

The investment appeal in Warsaw targeted the same gap the ministers have described at home: more and better accommodation, tourism infrastructure, and joint ventures between foreign and Ugandan businesses.

A historical connection

The delegation also leaned on an unusual piece of shared history. Between 1942 and 1944, about 7,000 Polish refugees, mostly women and children, arrived in Uganda during the Second World War. They lived in two settlements, Nyabyeya in Masindi District and Koja at Mpunge in Mukono District. Most later resettled in Britain, Canada and Australia in 1948.

Traces of that period remain. The Polish cemetery at Koja, near the Lake Victoria shore, is maintained by Poland's embassy in Nairobi, and the Polish church in Masindi was renovated with Polish funds, Nile Post reported. Masindi is also the main town on the southern approach to Murchison Falls National Park, which gives Polish heritage travellers a natural reason to combine a visit with a safari.

Part of a steady push in Poland

Warsaw is not a one-off. Namuddu represented Uganda at the TT Warsaw tourism fair in November 2025, alongside members of the Exclusive Sustainable Tour Operators Association, and in October 2025 Uganda's ambassador in Berlin, Stephen Mubiru, received Monika Zych as Uganda's newly appointed honorary consul in Warsaw. Ugandan coffee was showcased at the Coffee Europe Expo in Warsaw in September 2026.

The Poland campaign is one of several recent roadshows. Uganda has also pitched to agents and investors in Brisbane, debuted at MICE Show Asia in Singapore, and signed a sponsorship with the Champions Hockey League to reach Swiss travellers.

What it means for travellers

If you are planning a Uganda trip from Poland or elsewhere in Central Europe, ask your local tour operator whether it has a Ugandan partner. Booking through a licensed local agent and a registered Ugandan operator is the safest route, especially for gorilla permits. Our guide to Uganda gorilla permits for 2026 and 2027 explains prices and how to book, and our guide to Murchison Falls trip costs covers the park closest to the Polish heritage sites in Masindi.

Most visitors need a visa, which can be arranged online, and the East Africa Tourist Visa covers Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda on one permit. See our East Africa tourist visa guide for details.

Photo: Roman Deckert / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).