Uganda is targeting at least 13,000 French tourists as it seeks to expand one of its fastest-growing European markets, but limited direct air connectivity between Paris and Entebbe is emerging as a major obstacle to converting demand into bookings.
The issue came into focus at the International and French Travel Market (IFTM) Top Resa in Paris, where Ugandan tourism operators met French, Spanish, Portuguese and other European travel buyers between September 15 and 17. According to the Embassy of Uganda in France, more than 90 percent of French and Iberian buyers who met Ugandan tour operators identified the absence of a direct Paris-Entebbe flight as a source of additional cost and travel time.
The government is now working towards the launch of a Uganda Airlines service between Paris and Entebbe by June 2027, according to the embassy. The push comes as the French market records strong growth for Uganda.
Uganda received 7,439 French visitors in 2025, more than double the number recorded in 2024, placing France among the country’s top 10 international source markets. The embassy estimates that French visitors spend more than US$2,025 on average and stay between eight and 15 nights, making the market particularly important for Uganda’s strategy to attract higher-value tourists. Uganda is also seeking to raise the combined number of visitors from France, Spain and Portugal to 18,000.
The opportunity is being pursued as the country’s tourism sector continues to expand. Uganda recorded 1,642,215 international visitors in 2025, a 19.7 percent increase from the previous year, while tourism receipts rose 21.3 percent to US$1.62 billion, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities. The government is therefore looking beyond simply increasing visitor numbers to building stronger commercial links with international travel markets.
At IFTM Top Resa, 11 Ugandan destination management companies held meetings with travel buyers from France, Spain, Portugal and the Benelux countries. The companies included Africa Adventure Vacations, Cheetah Safaris Uganda, Destination Jungle, Grassrootz Adventures, Home to Africa, Ibis Adventures, Kazinga Tours, Let’s Go Travel, Sites Travel Uganda, Tripcare Adventures and Terrace Safaris.
The Embassy said each company held an average of 18 to 22 pre-arranged meetings, with discussions moving beyond destination promotion into rates, hotel room allocations and gorilla permits. The companies also secured contracts for the 2027 and 2028 tourism seasons, according to the embassy.
Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, Big Five safaris, Rwenzori trekking, Nile adventures and birding were among the experiences that attracted interest from European buyers. The growing demand creates an opportunity for Uganda’s wider tourism value chain, including hotels, tour operators, transport companies, restaurants, guides and communities involved in tourism activities.
However, the air connectivity challenge could affect how quickly that opportunity translates into actual arrivals. There is currently no nonstop flight between Paris and Entebbe. Travellers have to connect through other international hubs, adding both journey time and additional costs to trips.
For a long-haul leisure destination competing with countries that have easier connections to major European markets, the availability and cost of flights can influence where travellers choose to spend their holidays.
Uganda’s proposed Paris route is therefore being positioned not only as an aviation development but also as part of the country’s tourism and trade strategy. The embassy has argued that the route could serve not only French travellers but also potential visitors from Spain and Portugal, while providing an additional gateway into Uganda ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Uganda will co-host the continental football tournament with Kenya and Tanzania, creating another opportunity to attract visitors from Europe and other international markets. The government is also seeking to use tourism promotion to strengthen wider economic ties with France.
The embassy cited Bank of Uganda data showing that French foreign direct investment in Uganda exceeded US$1.6 billion in 2023, accounting for 53 percent of total foreign direct investment inflows that year. Ambassador Doreen Ruth Amule, Uganda’s envoy to France, Spain and Portugal, said the country’s participation at the Paris tourism fair was intended to connect European trade partners directly with Ugandan operators while pursuing investment, air connectivity and longer-term commercial partnerships.
Uganda also used the event to showcase its growing accommodation capacity, including the 181-room Kampala Marriott Hotel and new properties around major tourism destinations. The country has additionally been promoting major events as potential additions to European travel itineraries, including the Race the Nile Ultra Explorer Edition in Arua, the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the Rwenzori Marathon and the 2027 Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo.
For Uganda’s tourism industry, the French market therefore represents more than another source of visitors. The increase in arrivals, relatively high visitor spending and interest from European travel buyers point to a market with potential to generate revenue across accommodation, transport, attractions and other tourism services.
The challenge now is to make the destination easier and more commercially attractive to reach. If the planned Paris-Entebbe connection materialises, Uganda would have an additional direct link to one of Europe’s major tourism markets at a time when the country is seeking to convert its post-pandemic tourism recovery into sustained growth. For the tourism sector, the next stage will be turning the interest generated in Paris into bookings, investment and higher visitor numbers once European travellers can reach the Pearl of Africa more directly.
