Following successful showings at the World of Coffee Expo in Geneva (June 2025) and a premier tourism event in Lugano (October 2025), Uganda is set to highlight its tourism offerings at two of Switzerland’s leading travel exhibitions for the first time.
The country will participate in the Bern Ferienmesse from January 22–25 and FESPO Zurich from January 29 to February 1, 2026, using the platforms to market Uganda as a top African travel destination to Swiss travellers.
The Bern Ferienmesse, focusing on authentic travel experiences, attracts up to 20,000 visitors and over 300 exhibitors, while FESPO Zurich is expected to draw more than 42,000 visitors and 500 exhibitors, including families, adventure seekers, cultural tourists, and long-haul travellers planning summer holidays.
Citing Switzerland’s high appreciation for luxury, authentic, and sustainable travel experiences, Ambassador Arthur Kafeero, Uganda’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, described the expos as a strategic opportunity to strengthen Uganda’s presence in the Swiss market.
“The Swiss market is characterised by a high per capita income of USD 105,000, strong demand for long-haul travel, and growing interest in nature-based tourism,” Ambassador Kafeero said. “These markets offer vast untapped potential for Uganda’s tourism sector, alongside investment opportunities in tourism infrastructure.”
Despite Swiss travellers spending USD 23 billion abroad in 2024, only 106 Swiss tourists visited Uganda the same year, according to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control. The Ugandan government aims to increase these numbers through targeted participation in international expos.
Direct engagement with high-spending Swiss travellers and tour operators, Ambassador Kafeero noted, is expected to boost visibility and drive tourist arrivals. “Even an increase to 2,000 Swiss visitors annually would significantly enhance foreign exchange earnings and benefit local communities, hotels, airlines, and tour operators,” he said.
Both expos will provide B2B and B2C sessions for Ugandan tour operators to showcase premium coffee, cultural heritage, and creative industries, strengthening Uganda’s brand and attracting tourists and buyers alike.
Government officials attending the events include representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda Tourism Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Association of Uganda Tour Operators, and the Ugandan diaspora in Switzerland, reflecting a coordinated government approach to tourism promotion.
Uganda’s participation is being led, coordinated, and sponsored by the Uganda Mission to the Swiss Confederation in Geneva, as part of the implementation of the Government’s Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Strategy.
