Uganda is set to make a splash at one of Asia’s biggest travel events, the Open (Outbound) Travel Market (OTM) 2025, which will take place from January 30 to February 2, 2025, at the JIO World Convention Center in Mumbai, India.
This will mark the first-ever Uganda Pavilion at the event, designed to promote the country’s tourism potential to the growing Indian market.
Uganda’s participation in OTM 2025, organized by the Uganda High Commission in New Delhi and Uganda Airlines, will feature a delegation of key tourism stakeholders. The delegation includes representatives from Uganda Airlines, the Ministry of Tourism, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Tourism Board, and several tour operators. Together, they aim to boost Uganda’s image as a top destination for travelers and investors from India and South Asia.
The Indian travel market is one of the fastest-growing in the world, with millions of Indian travelers heading abroad each year.
According to the Uganda High Commissioner to India, as of 2025, India is expected to have 13.9 million leisure travelers and 19.4 million outbound visitors. Uganda sees this as a prime opportunity to tap into the growing interest in global travel, particularly as direct flights between Entebbe and Mumbai, launched in October 2023 by Uganda Airlines, make travel between the two countries easier.
Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, the High Commissioner stated that the OTM 2025 will feature over 1,600 exhibitors from 60+ countries, and Uganda’s pavilion is set to showcase the country’s unique tourism experiences, including wildlife safaris, primate tracking (including gorilla and chimpanzee tracking), birdwatching, and cultural heritage tours. The event will also include networking opportunities with international buyers and travel industry professionals.
Uganda’s participation in OTM aligns with the government’s broader vision to boost tourism as part of its 10-Fold Growth Strategy, aimed at achieving a $500 billion GDP by 2040. The initiative is a part of Uganda’s efforts to expand its global tourism presence and attract international investors.
Key objectives for Uganda at OTM include raising awareness about the country as a premier tourism destination in Africa, promoting Uganda Airlines’ direct route to Mumbai, and fostering partnerships with global tour companies. Uganda is also targeting to generate tourism deals worth over UGX 13 billion and attract significant media coverage.
The Uganda delegation will focus on creating strong partnerships and collaborations with top tour operators and media outlets, ensuring Uganda’s position as a leading destination for both leisure and business tourism.
The event is expected to provide a solid foundation for future growth in Uganda’s tourism sector, marking a new chapter in the country’s tourism and trade relationship with India.
This is an exciting opportunity for Uganda to showcase the best of what it has to offer to a growing and influential market.
