East African tourism ministers have adopted a ten-year strategy to market East Africa as a single, competitive destination, putting shared conservation, a future Single Tourist Visa and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 at the centre of the region’s green travel plans. The East Africa tourism strategy, covering 2027 to 2036, was adopted on 15 October 2026 at the East African Community (EAC) headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The strategy will promote the region’s natural and cultural heritage through digital marketing, strategic partnerships and cross-border tourism packages under the regional brand “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe”. Ministers also committed to use AFCON 2027 to showcase East Africa to the world and to spread tourism opportunities beyond the three host countries to the entire Community.
What the East Africa tourism strategy covers
The decisions were taken at the 13th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Tourism and Wildlife Management, which brought together ministers, cabinet secretaries, permanent and principal secretaries, senior officials and the EAC Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by Tom Butime, Uganda’s Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, with Eugene Mutangana, Executive Secretary of the Rwanda Nature Foundation at the Rwanda Development Board, as rapporteur.
Butime set out five priorities for faster implementation: strengthening transboundary conservation in shared ecosystems such as Kidepo, Mount Elgon, Kagera and Virunga; harmonising tourism grading and classification standards; improving tourism statistics through the EAC Tourism Barometer; advancing the Single Tourist Visa and easing cross-border travel; and strengthening joint tourism marketing and branding.
“We need to create an enabling environment for private-sector investment, develop bankable regional tourism projects, mobilise resources and establish effective monitoring mechanisms to track results,” Butime said.
Key facts
- The EAC Tourism Marketing Strategy runs from 2027 to 2036 under the brand “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe”.
- It was adopted on 15 October 2026 in Arusha at the 13th Sectoral Council on Tourism and Wildlife Management.
- AFCON 2027, co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, will be used to showcase East Africa and spread benefits across the Community.
- Uganda will host the 4th EAC Regional Tourism Expo alongside the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo in May 2027.
- The Secretariat was directed to circulate an updated Single Tourist Visa study by 20 October 2026, with partner states’ comments due by 30 November 2026.
- Ministers directed coordination of a tripartite memorandum of understanding among Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda for the Kidepo–Karamoja–Turkana Transboundary Conservation Area.
Conservation at the heart of the plan
For green travel, the conservation strand matters most. The strategy ties tourism growth directly to protecting the ecosystems visitors come to see, rather than treating nature as a backdrop. Ministers directed the Secretariat to coordinate the tripartite memorandum of understanding among Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda for the Kidepo–Karamoja–Turkana Transboundary Conservation Area, and they reaffirmed their commitment to a resilient, inclusive and sustainable tourism and wildlife sector.
The EAC’s Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, said the benefits realised from tourism and wildlife so far were “only the tip of the iceberg”. He urged partner states to conclude national consultations on the Single Tourist Visa and to expedite the classification of tourism establishments ahead of AFCON 2027, noting that “the world will judge East Africa by the quality of the rooms, the meals and the service that our visitors receive”.
AFCON 2027 and the road ahead
The Council welcomed Uganda’s offer to host the 4th EAC Regional Tourism Expo alongside the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo in May 2027. The joint event will incorporate AFCON 2027 promotional activities and multi-country tourism packages to showcase the region’s diverse offerings to international visitors, with partner states urged to take part with high-level representation.
To prepare for the tournament, ministers adopted common EAC classification plaque and certificate designs, directed that classified establishments be published in the EAC Gazette, and adopted examination results for newly trained assessors from Kenya and Tanzania. On the Single Tourist Visa, the Secretariat was directed to circulate the updated study by 20 October 2026, with partner states urged to submit comments by 30 November 2026. The visa itself has not been launched; it remains at the study and consultation stage, and no launch date was announced in the release.
Ministers also commended partners including GIZ, the European Union, TradeMark Africa, IUCN and RCMRD for their continued support. The EAC comprises Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Why it matters for greener travel
Done well, a single-destination approach can cut the footprint of a trip: one cross-border itinerary, shared standards for hotels and lodges, and conservation funding tied to the landscapes tourists visit. The test will be delivery — whether grading, the visa study and the conservation agreement move from ministerial decisions into services travellers can actually use before AFCON 2027. For now, the strategy gives East Africa’s green travel sector a common brand, a ten-year horizon and a clear set of next deadlines.
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