The Embassy of Uganda in Paris has launched an ambitious tourism promotion campaign in the French capital, deploying three branded buses to showcase Uganda’s attractions across the city in a bid to increase the country’s visibility in Europe and attract more international visitors.
The buses, branded under the theme “Explore Uganda – The Pearl of Africa,” began operating on June 22, 2026, and will traverse some of Paris’s busiest districts for two weeks, exposing millions of residents, tourists, business travelers, media professionals and tourism stakeholders to Uganda’s tourism offerings.
One of the buses prominently features the mountain gorilla, one of Uganda’s most iconic wildlife attractions, alongside other images highlighting the country’s rich biodiversity, stunning landscapes, cultural heritage and adventure tourism opportunities.
Speaking during the Launched, Uganda’s Ambassador to France, Spain and Portugal, Doreen Ruth Amule, described the initiative as a new dimension in Uganda’s tourism promotion efforts.
“We have used television, exhibitions and different promotional forums to market Uganda, but now we are embracing mobility promotion. These buses move across more than 200 square kilometres every day, allowing thousands of people who may never have heard about Uganda to discover our tourism potential,” Amule said.
She noted that each bus carries a QR code enabling interested viewers to access more information about Uganda’s tourism attractions.
According to the ambassador, the campaign forms part of a broader strategy to position Uganda as one of Africa’s leading tourism destinations and increase visitor arrivals from Europe.“We are moving away from our earlier target of 2,000 tourists from France, Spain and Portugal. We are now targeting 10,000 visitors from France alone in the next financial year,” she said.
Amule attributed the growing interest in Uganda to sustained marketing efforts and partnerships with tourism stakeholders across Europe, which have helped increase tourist arrivals from the region from about 2,000 to over 7,400 visitors.She emphasized the strategic importance of France in Uganda’s tourism promotion plans, noting that France consistently ranks among the world’s leading tourism markets.“France is one of the most important tourism destinations globally. By promoting Uganda here, we are not only targeting French travelers but also millions of international visitors who pass through the country every year,” she said.
The campaign follows the successful sixth European Media Influencer Familiarization (FAM) Trip to Uganda held in May 2026. Organized by the embassy in partnership with TANKE Creative Influence Agency, the initiative brought journalists, influencers and content creators from across Europe to experience Uganda’s tourism attractions firsthand.
Participants toured Kampala, Northern Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and several cultural heritage sites, generating content aimed at raising Uganda’s profile among European audiences.
According to Dr. Sekai Irene Nzenza, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to France and UNESCO, praised Uganda’s innovative approach to destination marketing.
“What Uganda has done here is remarkable. Imagine driving past the Eiffel Tower and seeing a bus carrying the message ‘Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.’ It immediately draws attention to the country’s rich heritage and tourism potential,” she said.
Nzenza noted that increased tourism promotion by African countries would contribute to the continent’s economic growth while creating opportunities for local communities that benefit from tourism revenues.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Charles Ssentongo described the campaign as an important milestone in Uganda’s economic and commercial diplomacy agenda.
“Tourism is one of the key pillars of Uganda’s ten-fold growth strategy. As a ministry, we are committed to supporting tourism promotion, trade and investment attraction. This campaign is an important avenue for raising awareness about Uganda in the French and wider European markets,” Ssentongo said.
He added that Paris provides a unique platform to reach not only French travelers but also millions of international tourists and travel industry stakeholders who influence travel decisions across Europe.
Officials believe the campaign will strengthen Uganda’s position in one of the world’s most competitive tourism markets and contribute to increased visitor arrivals, investment opportunities and global awareness of the country’s diverse tourism attractions.
The initiative underscores Uganda’s growing commitment to tourism diplomacy and innovative destination marketing as it seeks to establish itself as a premier travel destination in Africa.
