LocationsThe East African Passport: Unlocking Two Destinations in One Epic Journey
June 7, 2026
When tourism leaders, development partners, and industry stakeholders gathered at Karibu KiliFair 2026, the conversation kept coming back to one brilliant idea: The East African Idea: Why ask travellers to choose between Uganda and Tanzania when they can experience both in one seamless trip? The discussion highlighted how regional cooperation, shared tourism products, and strategic investments can transform East Africa into one of the world's most attractive tourism destinations.
A Region of Endless Possibilities
East Africa possesses extraordinary tourism potential, supported by improving infrastructure, enhanced connectivity, and an increasingly enabling environment for travelers. But traveller habits are changing. People flying halfway across the world don’t just want a quick stop in in country anymore, they want rich, multi-country itineraries that allow them to experience the diverse attractions of the region within one journey.
A central theme of the discussion was the need to move beyond competition for visitor numbers and embrace collaboration. While some level of competition remains healthy, panelists agreed that Uganda and Tanzania offer highly complementary tourism products that can be packaged together to create stronger visitor experiences. This growing demand for cross-border tourism reflects a broader shift in how Africa is being marketed globally. Instead of Uganda and Tanzania competing for the same visitors, the new strategy is to link arms. For example, by combining Uganda’s lush landscapes and primate tracking with Tanzania’s iconic plains and coastal beauty, the two nations offer a travel package that is hard to beat.
Events like KiliFair play an important role in fostering these partnerships by enabling tourism operators to exchange contacts, share market intelligence, and develop joint packages. The goal is to ensure that every destination and market within the region contributes toward a shared vision of sustainable tourism growth – ensuring every town and national park along the route benefits. Tourism was repeatedly identified as a powerful tool for financing development, creating jobs, and improving livelihoods across East Africa. Strong regional connectivity both within countries and among partner states will be essential to achieving this vision.
Encouraging Regional Investment
During the panel discussion, participants also highlighted the importance of attracting investment into the tourism sector. Stakeholders encouraged investors operating elsewhere in East Africa to consider opportunities in Tanzania and across the region. Improved infrastructure, expanding tourism markets, and growing regional cooperation are creating favorable conditions for tourism-related investments.
Mr Godfrey Mulisa at the panel discussion titled "The East African Idea: Two Destinations One Journey"
Speaking at the Panel discussion, Head of UNDP Dodoma Office, Mr Godfrey Mulisa sharedhis perspective on tourism as a driver of sustainable development. He pointed out that while Tanzania is already a bucket-list destination globally, East Africa as a whole is still scratching the surface of what it can offer. Long-haul international travel to East Africa is not cheap, making it essential for governments, development partners, and private-sector stakeholders to collaborate on financing and resource mobilization.
UNDP emphasized the importance of expanding tourism beyond traditional wildlife experiences. Elephants and lions will always be a draw, but there is great opportunity to build out cultural, historical, community-based, and other non-wildlife tourism products. It is about giving visitors more reasons to come and more reasons to stay. Uganda and Tanzania can diversify their offerings and attract a broader range of visitors.
Connecting the Blue and Green Economies: Linking the Serengeti to the Lake
One of the most innovative concepts presented at the Fair was the UNDP's “Blue-Green Economy” Initiative. The initiative seeks to connect the "green economy" represented by iconic ecosystems - the Serengeti with the "blue economy" opportunities surrounding Lake Victoria. The vision is to create tourism and economic opportunities that benefit communities living around the Lake Victoria Basin while strengthening conservation efforts and promoting sustainable development. By linking these ecosystems and tourism experiences, the initiative aims to create a more inclusive tourism economy that extends benefits beyond traditional tourism hotspots.
Vision 2035: Quality Growth Through Regional Synergies
Looking ahead, participants discussed the East African Community's Vision 2035, which emphasizes stronger regional synergies and cooperation among partner states. The objective is not only to increase tourist arrivals but also to promote high-quality tourism that generates greater economic value, supports conservation, and delivers meaningful benefits to local communities.Instead of chasing pure numbers, Uganda and Tanzania want to attract travellers who want to slow down, stay longer, spend more locally, and truly engage more deeply with local communities they visit. It’s a model that protects the environment while giving local economies a genuine boost.
A Promising Future for Lake Victoria and East Africa
The discussion concluded with optimism about the future of the Lake Victoria Basin and East African tourism as a whole. Over the next decade, stakeholders envision a thriving regional economy built around tourism, conservation, trade, and sustainable investment. With investors already expressing interest in the region, and with governments, development partners, and the private sector increasingly aligned around a common vision, East Africa is well-positioned to become a model for regional tourism cooperation. The message from KiliFair 2026 was clear: the future of East African tourism lies not in competing as separate destinations, but in working together to create one seamless, borderless adventure and unforgettable journey for travelers from around the world.
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