Five European journalists, media influencers and culinary storytellers visited northern Uganda last week as part of a familiarisation tour aimed at promoting the country as a tourism destination in European markets.
The group crossed Lake Kyoga from Nakasongola District to Namasale in Amolatar District, where they were welcomed by local cultural performers before continuing their tour across the Lango sub-region.
During their stay in Amolatar, the visitors attended cultural performances, interacted with local communities and participated in traditional food experiences, including the preparation and consumption of millet porridge.
The delegation also visited the home of Uganda’s ambassador to France, Spain and Portugal, Doreen Ruth Amule, where they observed traditional food preparation methods and learned about local culinary practices.
The following day, the visitors toured Lira City’s main market, purchased local ingredients and participated in a cooking session under the guidance of local chefs before sharing a meal at Brownstone Hotel in Lira City.
The one-week familiarisation trip, held from May 23 to 29, was organised by the Embassy of Uganda in Paris in partnership with TANKE Creative Influence Agency.
The initiative forms part of the embassy’s tourism promotion strategy aimed at increasing Uganda’s visibility in European markets through cultural, culinary, wildlife and community-based tourism experiences.
Ambassador Amule said the embassy has adopted tourism diplomacy as part of efforts to promote Uganda internationally.
“Uganda is one of the best countries in the world with happy, warm and welcoming people,” she said.
She added: “A few years ago, many European travellers knew very little about Uganda, but through strategic tourism promotion initiatives, we are witnessing growing interest in Destination Uganda.”
According to Amule, the embassy initially targeted increasing annual tourist arrivals from its accredited countries from about 1,000 to 2,000 visitors.
She said figures from the Uganda Tourism Board indicate that more than 7,400 tourists from France have visited Uganda since 2024, compared with about 1,800 previously.
“In 2024, only about 3,500 tourists were visiting Uganda from the three countries where I am accredited; France, Spain and Portugal. This growth demonstrates the effectiveness of our tourism promotion strategy, and we have now shifted our target to 10,000 tourists,” she observed.
The visitors also participated in sport-fishing activities, a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile and wildlife viewing in Murchison Falls National Park.
“We were engaged in activities like sport-fishing. We also cruised the Victoria Nile and took part in wildlife safaris in Murchison Falls National Park,” said Spanish media influencer Alvaro Espanola.
The itinerary included visits to cultural and historical sites, including the location where Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda and Omukama Kabalega of Bunyoro were captured by British colonial forces in April 1899.
At Lira Main Market, the group interacted with traders, including Betty Ajwang, an accounting graduate who operates a business in the market.
“I feel impressed, and if they could also support me and my business, I would be pleased,” Ajwang said.
Ertan Anadol, chief executive officer of TANKE Creative Influence Agency, said the programme was designed to showcase Uganda through food, culture and local experiences.
“So this time around, we’re focusing on food. We want to bring different cultures together, and we have a cook with us preparing meals using ingredients we bought in the market here in Lira,” he said.
Anadol said culinary tourism offers an additional avenue for destination marketing by introducing potential visitors to local foods, agricultural products and cultural traditions.
The delegation also visited Wandegeya Market in Kampala, where they met local traders and community leaders.
Anadol said digital platforms have become increasingly important in tourism promotion as audiences consume more travel content online.
“Today, the best way to reach travellers is through their phones and social media platforms. Every time we organise these trips, we bring different influencer teams to Uganda, and each campaign reaches more than three million followers online,” he said.
He also noted growing interest among European travellers in destinations that promote environmental conservation and sustainable tourism.
The familiarisation trip is one of several initiatives being used by Uganda’s diplomatic missions abroad to market the country as a tourism destination and attract more international visitors.