Following a two-year hiatus, the Uganda Tourism Board is excited to invite you to The Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) 2023. The event will be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Uganda from 26 to 29 April 2023.
POATE is one of the biggest tourism exhibitions in Africa, and this year returns as a hybrid show involving both physical and virtual B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) activities that will serve as a marketing tool for Uganda’s new destination brand ID to local, regional and global markets. Approximately 5 000 trade visitors are expected to attend.
This year’s theme is “Explore Uganda – The Pearl of Africa”, and issues around sustainability and responsible tourism will be explored in five tourism seminars on tourism investment, Sustainability, MICE, and innovation.
Over 300 exhibitors will showcase their offering at POATE 2023, including regional tourism boards, international tour operators and associations, hoteliers, international media, and airlines.
The Expo will host business-to-business meetings, networking events and familiarisation trips within the country, while the last day will be dedicated to consumers interested in networking with the POATE exhibitors.
100 hosted buyers will be in attendance, from South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Spain.
At this year’s event, the 7th edition of POATE, 100 hosted buyers will be in attendance, from South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Spain.
Lilly Ajarova, CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), says they have been very strategic when inviting hosted buyers to the event. She says, “This select group of travel specialists will explore Uganda – the Pearl of Africa and thereafter include our beautiful destination in their Africa itineraries. That way, Uganda will receive more travellers and associated benefits including increased tourism revenue and employment.”
Bradford Ochieng, the Deputy CEO of UTB and chairman of the national organising Committee, noted that they are prepared and upbeat about the signature event, especially now that the sector is moving towards full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This year’s Expo will not only point to our recovery but also highlight to the world our readiness to fully host the tourism community once again,” he noted
For more details log on to poate.co.ug.
About POATE
The Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo is an annual tourism trade fair held in Uganda. The event brings together tourism stakeholders including tour operators, hoteliers, travel agents, and other players in the tourism industry from Uganda and other countries. The expo is aimed at promoting Uganda as a tourism destination, showcasing the country’s tourist attractions, and networking with other players in the industry. It provides a platform for exhibitors to showcase their products and services, and for buyers to discover new tourism products and services.
The Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo is organised by the Uganda Tourism Board, and it usually takes place in February. The event features exhibitions, seminars, workshops, cultural performances, and networking sessions. It attracts participants from Africa, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world.
The Expo is an important event for the tourism industry in Uganda and it helps to boost the country’s tourism sector. It provides a platform for stakeholders to share ideas and best practices, and to explore new business opportunities.
