MOMBASA, Kenya – The fifth edition of the Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit is set to open in Mombasa next week with organisers banking on a unified tourism circuit to unlock billions of shillings in cross-border business.
The summit will be held from October 26 to 27, 2026, at the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort and Spa. It is convened by the Consulate of the Republic of Uganda in Mombasa under the Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Collaboration platform.
The meeting comes at a critical time for Kenya’s coastal tourism economy, ahead of the December high season.
Industry data shows hotel bed occupancy on the coast typically rises from about 58% in October to over 85% in December, driven by charter flights and regional travel.
This year’s summit will be held under the theme, “Unlocking Tourism Opportunities, Resolving Policy Bottlenecks through Technology, Youth and Seamless Mobility across East Africa.”
The thematic focus for 2026 is Nature and Scenic Landscapes, captured in the tagline “From the thunder of Murchison Falls to Kilifi’s coral reefs – nature at its grandest.”
The theme reflects a deliberate shift from competition to complementarity.
For years, Uganda and Kenya’s Coast have marketed similar safari and beach products to the same European source markets.
The collaboration now seeks to package them as a single itinerary.
Tourism players say the economic case is compelling.
A tourist who combines Uganda’s wildlife attractions, including Murchison Falls and gorilla trekking, with Kenya’s coastal beach product spends up to 40% more and stays an average of 3.5 days longer than a single-destination visitor.
The extended stay translates directly into higher revenues for hotels, airlines, tour operators and transport providers.
Forward bookings from Uganda to the Kenya Coast have increased by 22% since the fourth edition of the summit, according to preliminary data from coastal hoteliers.
Despite the growth, operators say policy bottlenecks continue to erode margins.
These include multiple visa charges under the East Africa Tourist Visa regime, delays in cross-border clearance for tour vehicles, lack of an integrated e-payment system for parks and marine reserves, and fragmented destination marketing.
The summit will table proposals for harmonised visa enforcement, a single digital ticketing platform for national parks and reserves in both countries, and a joint marketing fund to promote the two destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
A key feature of this year’s programme is the Innovation Pitch Hub.
More than 70% of new tourism enterprises registered in Mombasa in 2025 were youth-owned, with most operating in travel technology, short-term rentals and experience curation.
The hub will link these startups with regional investors, commercial banks and development finance institutions for funding.
On connectivity, both Uganda Airlines and Kenya Airways have increased frequencies on the Entebbe-Mombasa route.
However, last-mile transport costs and seasonal charter availability remain a challenge.
Business-to-business sessions will focus on charter consolidations, bulk hotel contracting and transport cost-sharing models.
County governments from the coast will also showcase bankable investment opportunities, including eco-lodges in Shimba Hills National Reserve, investment in houseboat tourism on Lake Victoria, and cruise tourism infrastructure in Kilifi and Lamu.
Analysts estimate that seamless mobility and joint packaging could unlock an additional KSh 5 billion to KSh 6 billion in cross-border tourism receipts annually, while creating thousands of direct jobs in the hospitality value chain.
The official countdown poster released on Tuesday, October 20, confirms that preparations at Sarova Whitesands are in their final stages.
The two-day forum is expected to draw over 300 delegates, including tourism Cabinet Secretaries, county executives, private sector players, investors and youth innovators.
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