Kenya and Uganda sign four accords to boost tourism and trade

Kenya and Uganda have signed four bilateral agreements aimed at deepening tourism, trade, and commercial cooperation. During the fifth Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit held in Mombasa, partnerships were formalized between major industry bodies, including the Kenya Association of Travel Agents and its Ugandan counterpart, as well as agreements between the Kenya Association of Tour Operators and the Association of Uganda Tour Operators.

The accords extend beyond tourism into broader industry collaboration, with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry signing deals with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda and the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre.

Officials emphasized the need to resolve policy bottlenecks, such as inconsistent procedures, paperwork burdens, and low public awareness of regional rights, to facilitate seamless mobility. Recent data shows an upward trend in cross-border travel, with Kenyan visitors to Uganda rising to 519,041 in 2025 and Ugandan arrivals in Kenya increasing to 234,556.