The Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board, Juliana Kagwa, has called on tourism stakeholders to convert connections made during the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) 2026 into investments, partnerships, and business opportunities that can drive economic growth and job creation.
Kagwa made the appeal while responding to her recognition as “CEO of the Week” by CEO East Africa Magazine, saying the success of POATE 2026 was the result of collective efforts by the tourism industry and its partners.
“My call to our tourism industry, investors, development partners and private sector stakeholders is this: let us convert the connections made at POATE into bookings, partnerships, investments and bankable projects that create jobs and drive growth across our economy,” she said.
Her remarks come weeks after POATE 2026 brought together tourism operators, investors, buyers, and industry players from across the region and beyond to showcase Uganda’s tourism potential.
Kagwa said the expo had succeeded in raising Uganda’s profile as a tourism destination and generating interest among potential investors and travel partners.
“The visibility has been created. The interest has been generated. Now we must collectively turn that momentum into tangible results for Destination Uganda,” she said.
The UTB chief credited the success of the tourism expo to the efforts of the board’s staff and partners who worked to deliver the event.
“As the article rightly notes, POATE 2026 was an important moment for the entire team at UTB and the many partners who worked tirelessly to make it a success,” she said.
Government has identified tourism as one of Uganda’s key growth sectors, with officials increasingly emphasizing investment, marketing, and product development as critical drivers of foreign exchange earnings, employment, and economic transformation.
