Uganda embarks on promoting coffee tourism

By; Our Reporter

27^th Nov 2018

As part of the move to promote Uganda’s economic growth and development experts have resolved to promote the two leading exports, tourism and coffee, termed as “coffee tourism”.

The initiative is being promoted by a private sector initiative, the Coffee Tourism Uganda, in collaboration with government agencies like Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Coffee Development Authority.

Unveiling the initiative ahead of the first ever Coffee Tourism Conference and Exhibition on December 6th in Kampala, the Chair of Coffee Tourism Uganda, Joan Kantu Else, says coffee tourism would transform tourism and lives in Uganda.

Stephen Asiimwe, the chief executive officer of Uganda Tourism Board, says with emergence of coffee as the biggest drink in the world, it makes sense to craft tourism promotion in Uganda around it.

According to Asiimwe, coffee tourism is an attempt to reach the target of four million tourists by 2020/21, so that Uganda earns much more from them.

Although Uganda is the second biggest producer of coffee after Ethiopia, she is the biggest exporter of raw coffee beans simply because about 60 percent of Ethiopia’s coffee is consumed in-country.

Last year, tourism generated 1.3 billion dollars, while coffee fetched 513 million dollars.