Destination Uganda has won the “Best in Show – Africa” award for its immersive and experiential showcase at the Travel & Adventure Show at the Javits Convention Center, North America’s largest consumer travel exhibition.
This achievement was the result of a collective effort spearheaded by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), in collaboration with the Embassy of Uganda in Washington, D.C., the Permanent Mission of Uganda in New York, and Uganda’s private sector tourism stakeholders.
The award reinforces Uganda’s strategic focus on quality experiences, sustainability, and authentic storytelling as drivers of tourism growth and national development. The United States remains one of Uganda’s key source markets, with Vision 2040 targeting over 200,000 American visitors annually. This strategic participation in platforms such as the Travel & Adventure Show continues to drive demand, increase brand visibility, and strengthen Destination
The honor reinforces Uganda’s strategic focus on quality experiences, sustainability and authentic storytelling as drivers of tourism growth. The United States is a key source market for the country, with its national Vision 2040 plan targeting more than 200,000 American visitors annually.
“This recognition is a powerful affirmation of Uganda’s rising profile as a world-class experiential premier destination. Being recognized in New York, one of the most influential travel markets globally, signals that Uganda’s unique blend of wildlife, culture, adventure, and community-based tourism resonates strongly with today’s travelers,” said Dr. Gessa Simplicious, UTB Head of Communication.
Uganda’s participation strategically positioned the country as “The Pearl of Africa” through engaging and interactive experiences, including tastings of Uganda’s premium coffee and Uganda Waragi, virtual reality showcases of the country’s landscapes and wildlife, and compelling gorilla experiences that attracted high visitor traffic. These activations drew consumers, travel advisors, and media to the Uganda stand, providing first-hand exposure to the country’s diverse adventure and cultural tourism offerings. This generated quality leads, and strengthened tourism business linkages within the U.S. market.
For over 19 years, the Travel and Adventure Show has connected more than 2.7 million travel enthusiasts and over 16,500 travel advisers with over 5,800 exhibiting companies from around the world, influencing travel bookings worth over $7 billion. The Travel & Adventure Show is North America’s largest consumer travel event, attracting over 150,000 visitors annually and operating on a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) model. This recognition goes beyond tourism, boosting investment, partnerships, and visitor confidence while positioning Uganda competitively on the global stage.
Uganda’s tourism sector is experiencing a significant boom in 2025, with earnings projected to reach Shs 5.8 trillion, a
13.1% increase driven by improved infrastructure, safety, and increased international arrivals. The government is investing Shs 430 billion in the 2025/26 budget to further boost key attractions, including gorilla trekking,, and MICE tourism, following a full post-pandemic recovery
Tourism contributes over 3.6% to Uganda’s GDP, with earnings hitting $1.52 billion in the year ending March 2025.
