Uganda's Bold Move: Direct Paris Flights Eyed as French Tourism Soars
Uganda witnessed a substantial increase in French visitors last year, yet the absence of direct flights between Paris and Entebbe continues to challenge tourism growth. Despite this, the Ugandan government is actively planning a direct route with Uganda Airlines and vigorously promoting its diverse attractions at international travel fairs, leveraging its position as a key investment destination. Efforts are also focused on showcasing the country's recovery from a recent Ebola outbreak to entice more visitors.Uganda experienced a significant surge in French visitors last year, with figures more than doubling from 2024 to reach 7,439 in 2025. This places France among Uganda's top 10 source markets for tourism, with French visitors reportedly spending over US$2,025 on average and staying between eight and 15 nights.
Despite this impressive growth, a major hurdle for boosting tourism from Europe remains the lack of direct flights between Paris and Entebbe. European buyers at the IFTM Top Resa 2026 travel fair in Paris, particularly French and Iberian delegates, consistently highlighted the absence of a nonstop route as a primary source of increased cost and travel time. Currently, journeys from Paris to Entebbe require at least one stopover, extending travel times from approximately 11 hours to over 45 hours, depending on the airline and connecting hub, such as Brussels, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Doha, Amsterdam, or Dubai.
In response to this challenge, the Ugandan government is actively advancing plans for Uganda Airlines to launch a direct Paris route by June 2027. The national carrier's only current European destination is London Gatwick, and it recently experienced temporary grounding of its Airbus A330-800 long-haul aircraft for unscheduled maintenance, with London flights resuming in March. The Ugandan Embassy in France argues for the viability of a Paris route, citing France's position as Uganda's largest source of foreign direct investment, totaling over US$1.6 billion in 2023 and accounting for 53 percent of total inflows. Additionally, Paris serves as a crucial connecting point for travelers from Spain and Portugal, making a direct flight potentially beneficial for broader European tourism to Uganda, especially ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Uganda will co-host.
Susan Nakawuki, the Minister of State for Tourism, emphasized the natural progression of tourism, stating, "France already trusts Uganda with big investments, tourism is the natural next step." This sentiment was shared during Uganda's third consecutive participation at the IFTM Top Resa fair, co-led by Minister Nakawuki and Ambassador Doreen Ruth Amule. Eleven private Ugandan tour companies, a significant increase from five in the previous year, attended the fair, including Africa Adventure Vacations, Cheetah Safaris Uganda, and Kazinga Tours. These companies engaged in numerous pre-scheduled meetings with buyers from France, Spain, Portugal, and the Benelux countries, securing contracts for the 2027 and 2028 seasons and discussing rates, room allotments, and gorilla permit allocations.
Buyers at the fair showed keen interest in a diverse range of Ugandan attractions, including gorilla tracking in Bwindi and Mgahinga, Big Five safaris, trekking in the Rwenzori Mountains, adventure activities on the Nile, and birding. The embassy also highlighted new hotel capacities, such as the 181-room Marriott Kampala, Erebero Hills, and Namoni Lodge, to support the growing tourism demand.
The growth in French tourism coincides with Uganda's overall increase in arrivals, which reached 1,642,215 visitors in 2025, marking a 19.7 percent rise from the previous year, and generating tourism receipts of US$1.62 billion, a 21.3 percent increase. This recovery follows an Ebola outbreak that had disrupted bookings earlier in the year. Uganda was declared Ebola-free in late August after recording 20 confirmed cases and two deaths. A French operator noted the positive impact, stating, "We can finally sell Uganda again without explaining Ebola in every email," although the French foreign ministry's travel advice still carried an alert regarding the Ebola epidemic in the DRC and Uganda.
Uganda's participation at the IFTM Top Resa fair was a coordinated effort by the embassy with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, and the Uganda Tourism Board. Promotional efforts extended to three buses branded with Ugandan imagery operating on central Paris routes during the fair, estimated to have generated 8 million impressions. Ambassador Amule reiterated the mission of the delegation, stating, "We are not just here to exhibit, we are here to secure business that creates jobs back home."