Uganda’s tourism potential earned its place at the high table of global conversations on heritage and eco-tourism during a high-level conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The Roosevelt Africa Trail and the Rwenzori Marathon were spotlighted as case studies in reimagining African travel, sport, and storytelling at the US Africa Business Connect, hosted by the MIT Sloan Africa Business Club.
The event drew global leaders, innovators, and policymakers to explore new ways of engaging with the continent.
The unveiling of the Roosevelt Africa Trail marked a defining moment for Uganda.
Inspired by US President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1909–1910 Smithsonian African Expedition, the trail retraces parts of his journey—stretching from Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park to Lake Victoria.
Designed to promote eco-tourism, preserve cultural heritage, and fuel community-based development, the initiative was described by organisers as “a groundbreaking cross-continental effort to connect people, places, and history.”
The conference also gave special attention to the Rwenzori Marathon, a uniquely positioned endurance race that cuts across the equator and offers a rare combination of sport and high-altitude adventure.
A panel titled “Tech Synergies in Global Marathons: Boston & Rwenzori” explored the growing influence of sports tourism in Africa, with insights from John Korir, the 2025 Boston Marathon winner, elite coach Ron Mann, and others.
Among the key themes was how the Rwenzori Marathon is positioning Uganda as a destination not just for runners, but for travellers seeking transformative experiences.
Though the panel praised the event’s design and impact, it also pointed to wider opportunities for African nations to integrate sports, innovation, and cultural storytelling into their tourism models.
Endurance athlete and digital influencer Matt Choi joined the event virtually to announce his upcoming participation in the Rwenzori Marathon.
“Running can drive global connection, community-building, and cultural storytelling,” he said, reinforcing the idea that sports can transcend borders and introduce new audiences to Africa’s hidden gems.
Uganda’s narrative continued to shine through Born to Run: Kapchorwa to the World, a documentary screened at the conference highlighting the nation’s legacy in long-distance running.
This was followed by a panel on tourism and cultural preservation, featuring Taylor Jean-Jacques of NABU, Adrian Braka of Roosevelt Africa Safari Coffee, and Benon Kayemba of Uganda’s Embassy in Washington.
They discussed how initiatives in heritage coffee, diaspora policy, and digital publishing are helping Uganda tell its story to a global audience.
Delivering the keynote, MIT XR+AI researcher Rus Gant explored how immersive technologies like extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence are opening new frontiers in tourism.
From virtual trails to AI-powered cultural guides, Gant emphasised that digital innovation could allow Africa to preserve its past while shaping a bold new tourism future.
The conference closed with remarks by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, who praised African youth, tech talent, and diaspora communities as the engines of a new, self-defined tourism agenda for the continent.
To cap it off, one lucky attendee won an all-expenses-paid trip to Uganda, including entry into the 2025 Rwenzori Marathon and a gorilla trekking expedition in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest—a Unesco World Heritage Site.
A Uganda’s tourism stories travel farther, its parks, peaks, and people are earning a well-deserved place on the global map.