KAMPALA – Uganda, November, 10th 2023.
The 8th edition of the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE 2024) has been launched by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB). Slated for 23rd to 25th of May, POATE 2024 will be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo under the theme “Responsible Tourism.” Officially launched by State Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Hon. Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, the event took place on Friday 10 May 2024 at the Kampala Sheraton.
Various government agencies and departments were present at the official launch of POATE 2024, which also had the private sector players in the tourism sector, cultural institutions, UTB management and staff, as well as the media, among others present. At the launch, Hon. Mugarra revealed that POATE 2024 presents a unique opportunity for tourism business operators to meet new clients, network, and discuss business deals with global tourism and travel trade partners.
“Uganda’s tourism sector is recognized as a high-growth export sector capable of making a substantial contribution to the socio-economic development of the country if fully developed,” he said.
The Minister noted that the sector is posed to generate the much needed foreign exchange through tax and non-tax revenues. “Tourism plays a significant role in the improvement of the livelihoods of communities where the tourism attractions are located through employment, entrepreneurship, and provision of social amenities such as electricity, telecommunications, and improved infrastructure among others,” he said.
POATE is Uganda‘s signature event that brings together both consumer and travel trade to create business networking opportunities, education sessions, and inclusion of Uganda in the African specialist tour operators’ itineraries. The event is structured to include Business to Business and Business to Consumer engagements, seminars to share knowledge and discuss the latest tourism trends by national and international experts, exhibitions to showcase the various tourism and related services and products and have prearranged meeting appointments through a matchmaking portal. There will additionally be carefully selected and vetted suppliers from the source markets hosted to explore the country’s attractions to give them firsthand experience that will help them market Uganda.
The CEO of Uganda Tourism Board, Lilly Ajarova noted that the expo is organized by UTB to bring together all tourism stakeholders and other service providers along the tourism value chain to raise the profile of Uganda as a preferred destination both domestically, regionally and internationally. The exposition gives participants practical knowledge of Uganda’s tourism offerings.
“POATE 2023 was a success with the 8th edition in 2024 posed to be bigger and better. The expo continues to provide huge business opportunities for local suppliers in the areas of events management, stand construction, production of promotional materials, tour guiding services, equipment hire, transportation, and accommodation among others,” she said.
The National Development Programme (NDP III) recognizes tourism as one of the priority sectors. In order to optimize the sector’s contribution to the socio-economic development, the UTB has put in place strategic interventions whose objective is to ensure substantial growth in tourism arrivals from the main core and emerging source markets.