Uganda has launched a new tourism destination brand promise, with the unveiling of a new brand identity that promises both domestic, regional and global tourists an “adventure of a lifetime”.

The brand identity – Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa – was developed by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), with CEO, Lilly Ajarova, explaining that the new brand promise seeks to re-emphasise Uganda’s rare and precious range of tourism attractions to the world.

“Uganda is no doubt beautiful. Beautiful beyond measure. Uganda is, and has always been, the Pearl of Africa, but it is important that all stakeholders are aligned on what makes us the Pearl of Africa and how do we unpack that to the various travel markets/segments around the world,” she said.

“Explore Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, is an invitation to our tourists – both domestic, regional and international – to rediscover the magnificence of the Pearl and all it has to offer.”

Speaking at the launch, President Yoweri Museveni said the new campaign would focus on the uniqueness of the country’s attractions and showcase the diversity of the destination.

Referring to Uganda as the “roof of Africa” where Lake Victoria is located – the source of the River Nile, which flows through various Ugandan lakes on its way to Alexandria in Egypt – the President highlighted the country’s natural beauty, temperate climate, variety of wildlife, cultural diversity, community tourism and peace and security, amongst others.

Cabinet Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Tom Butime, pointed out that, before the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism in Uganda had been on a “strong and positive trajectory”, accounting for 7.7% of the country’s GDP and about 6.3% of all formal employment in the country.

“The launch of the new destination brand is part of a response to the recovery after this dreadful pandemic. We are getting back into the market with a unified message and a clear promise and call to action.” He said the new destination brand would complement other initiatives by the government to improve the country’s tourism product offering.

“These measures, most of which are part of the Tourism Development Programme of the National Development Programme III, include increased marketing efforts, the development of tourism infrastructure, addressing human-wildlife conflict and diversifying our product offering,” said Butime.

He also underscored the need for government to help the private sector to manage the financial burden through affordable financing options.