Bern, Switzerland – Uganda stepped up efforts to attract high-value Swiss travelers by participating for the first time, in the Bern Ferienmesse, running from January 22 to 25, 2026 providing a strategic platform for Uganda to position itself as a premium African destination offering luxury, authenticity, and sustainable travel experiences.
This engagement follows Uganda’s successful participation in the World of Coffee Expo in Geneva in June 2025 and a premier tourism fair in Lugano in October 2025, which helped raise awareness of Uganda’s unique tourism offerings. The Bern Ferienmesse focuses on authentic travel experiences and personalized journeys, attracting up to 20,000 visitors and more than 300 exhibitors planning summer and long-haul vacations. Visitors include families, adventure seekers, cultural travelers, and discerning tourists interested in discovering new destinations. More importantly, the event attracted Swiss tour operators interested in partnering with Ugandan companies. Ugandan tour companies were represented by partners including Great Explorers Safari , Kazinga Safaris, Giant Gorilla Safaris, Olive Safari, Discovery Journeys and Exclusive Uganda Safaris to promote Uganda as an add-on destination to other African safaris.
Explaining the rationale for Uganda’s participation, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Uganda to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Arthur Kafeero, noted that Switzerland presents a high-potential market aligned with Uganda’s tourism strengths.
“The Swiss market is characterized by a high per capita income of approximately USD 105,000, a strong appetite for long-haul travel, and a growing preference for nature-based, adventure, and sustainable tourism,” Ambassador Kafeero said. “Strategic markets such as Switzerland offer significant untapped potential for Uganda’s tourism sector, while also providing opportunities to attract investors in tourism infrastructure.”
According to the Swiss Federal Statistics Office, Swiss outbound travelers spent an estimated USD 23 billion abroad in 2024. In contrast, data from Uganda’s Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control indicates that only 106 Swiss tourists visited Uganda during the same year. Government participation in major tourism exhibitions is therefore aimed at substantially increasing this figure. Ambassador Kafeero emphasized that attracting even 2,000 Swiss visitors annually would generate meaningful foreign exchange earnings and benefit local communities, airlines, hotels and tour operators.
The Bern Ferienmesse also offered targeted business-to-business and business-to-consumer sessions, enabling Ugandan tour operators to engage directly with Swiss travel buyers. Uganda further showcased its premium coffee, rich cultural heritage and creative industries, reinforcing its national brand.
Uganda’s participation reflects a coordinated government approach involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda Tourism Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the Association of Uganda Tour Operators and the Ugandan Diaspora in Switzerland. The initiative is led and sponsored by the Uganda Mission to the Swiss Confederation in Geneva as part of the Government’s Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Strategy.
The Uganda exhibition stands at the Bern and Zurich Expos, with Ugandan delegates and exhibitors engaging with different participants during the expo (Photo Credit: Uganda Mission Geneva)
