Uganda to Host Future Hospitality Summit Africa 2027 - UG Standard - Latest News
Uganda is about to get its moment on one of Africa’s biggest hospitality investment stages. The country will host the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Africa for the first time on 2-3 February 2027, a milestone that tourism officials say reflects Uganda’s growing ambition to become a serious tourism and investment destination on the continent. The […]
Uganda is about to get its moment on one of Africa’s biggest hospitality investment stages. The country will host the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Africa for the first time on 2-3 February 2027, a milestone that tourism officials say reflects Uganda’s growing ambition to become a serious tourism and investment destination on the continent. The summit is happening thanks to a new partnership between the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and the bench, the company behind FHS Africa, widely seen as the continent’s top platform for hospitality investment conversations. When delegates gather inKampala, the guest list is expected to include international investors, hotel developers, hotel operators, tourism executives and government officials, all looking at where Uganda’s fast-growing hospitality sector is headed next. Over the past two decades, receipts fromUganda tourismtell a good story right now. Visitor arrivals have climbed back to more than 1. 6 million a year, and tourism revenue has grown to somewhere between USD 1. 6 billion and USD 1. 7 billion. Behind those figures is a mix of factors: more government investment, ongoing infrastructure upgrades, and a deliberate national strategy to grow not just leisure travel but also MICE tourism, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. Put together, this is part of why Uganda is increasingly being talked about as one of Africa’s more interesting emerging tourism markets. Juliana Kagwa, CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board, framed the summit as a fitting next step for a sector that’s already moving fast. She pointed to strong backing from government, clear strategic planning, and rising international interest as reasons why now is the right time to bring investors directly into the conversation. Her message to the industry was blunt about what the country actually needs: more beds, more accommodation, and more tourism products and travel experiences to match the demand that’s building. As she put it, the goal of hosting FHS is to open Uganda up to the world, and by the time the summit takes place in February 2027, the ambition is to already be signing deals rather than just talking about them. Why Investors Are Paying Attention to East AfricaUganda’s selection as host isn’t happening in isolation. East Africa as a whole has been attracting more attention from hotel investors lately, and a few reasons keep coming up: there simply aren’t enough branded hotels to meet demand yet, air links into the region keep improving, and travellers are increasingly looking for higher-quality places to stay. Hotel pipeline data shared around the announcement pointed to a few locations expected to see the most hospitality development activity in the coming years in not only Kampala but also primeUganda national parksincluding Bwindi Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park etc. Much of that anticipated growth is expected to land in the upscale and midscale hotel categories. What the Organizers are saying, Matt Weihs, founder of FHS Africa, described Uganda as a dynamic, still-emerging market with real potential for hospitality investors. He said he was pleased to bring the summit there for the first time as the sector keeps growing and diversifying. Roy Bannister, Business Development Director at FHS Africa, said the summit exists specifically to channel investment into hospitality across Africa. He noted that Uganda has been building a noticeably better reputation internationally. His view was straightforward: Uganda is now firmly on investors’ radar. He added that the summit will highlight the full range of opportunities on offer in the country, everything from city hotels in Kampala to more specialized safari and eco-tourism developments, and that FHS Africa Uganda is designed to create real connections that lead to real investment. The announcement that Uganda is to host the Future Hospitality Summit Africa has been welcomed by stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry who have pushed for this for some time. This is the first time Uganda will be hosting this international event and this confirms that the world has recognized Uganda’s growing hospitality sector. The event is expected to increase not only visitorsexploring Ugandabut also to attract investment into the hospitality sector. Julian Kaggwa, emphasized that the goal for Uganda hosting this summit extends beyond visitor numbers, stating the country seeks foreign direct investment in both urban and leisure destinations, including Kampala, Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park.