The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) Chief Executive Officer, Juliana Kagwa, alongside a delegation from the Board, joined the State Minister for Education and Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, Minister Counsellor Patricia Kabuleeta of the Uganda High Commission in the UK, and partners from the Tusker Lite Rwenzori Mountain Marathon for a high-level meeting with the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mama Janet Museveni, at State House, Nakasero.
The engagement, also attended by marathon convener Amos Wekesa, philanthropist David Chen, and UK-based partner Hurry Butter, provided a platform to update the First Lady on the significant strides made in positioning sports tourism as an emerging pillar of Uganda’s tourism sector.
Key highlights included the successes of flagship initiatives such as the Tusker Lite Rwenzori Mountain Marathon, which has elevated Uganda’s profile internationally as a destination where adventure, fitness, and culture converge.
The delegation, however, pointed out persistent challenges such as limited funding and negative international travel advisories that continue to affect Uganda’s tourism competitiveness. They commended government for progressively increasing funding for tourism promotion and appealed for continued strong backing to scale up international marketing of “Destination Uganda.”
Discussions also focused on the need for government engagement to address international travel advisories and to step up preparations for Uganda’s co-hosting of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which was described as a potential catalyst for tourism and investment.
In her remarks, the First Lady commended the stakeholders for their dedication to leveraging sports as a vehicle to market Uganda globally. She pledged to follow up on the issue of travel advisories through diplomatic channels to enhance Uganda’s international image. She also committed government support towards bridging funding gaps in sports tourism initiatives to ensure that global events like the Rwenzori Marathon and the upcoming AFCON deliver maximum visibility and impact.
The meeting underscored the importance of collaborative action between government, private sector, and development partners in promoting Uganda as a premier destination for sports tourism.
