Connecting Tourism, Trade & Agribusiness through Creativity and Collaboration
📍 UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit 2025
📅 12 September 2025 | The Royal Horseguards Hotel & One Whitehall Place, London
Uganda’s next growth chapter is being written not only in factories or boardrooms but through an emerging “experience economy” — a movement where creativity, culture, and commerce converge to define the nation’s new global identity. At the 15th UK–Africa Business, Trade & Investment Summit, Juliana Kagwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), and Nelson Tugume, Chief Executive Officer of Inspire Africa Coffee, articulated a shared vision positioning experience as a tradable asset — connecting tourism, agribusiness, and creative industries into one value-generating ecosystem.
Under Juliana Kagwa’s leadership, UTB has redefined tourism as a platform for national storytelling — a catalyst linking Uganda’s heritage, creativity, and investment appeal. Her vision expands beyond wildlife and landscapes to highlight Uganda’s creative DNA — its music, cuisine, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurial spirit.
“When we sell Uganda, we are not just selling destinations — we are sharing identity, innovation, and possibility.” – Juliana Kagwa
Through digital branding and diaspora engagement, UTB is shifting tourism from “visit” to “belong”. Every traveller, investor, and partner becomes part of Uganda’s unfolding narrative of authenticity and innovation. This strategy also elevates creative industries — film, fashion, gastronomy, and design — as contributors to GDP growth. Each visitor experience becomes a micro-economy employing artisans, content creators, and service providers while reinforcing Uganda’s image as a modern, connected, and culturally rich destination.
For Nelson Tugume, coffee is not merely a commodity — it is an experience. Through Inspire Africa Coffee and the proposed Africa Coffee Park valued at USD 300 million, Tugume is building a nexus of agribusiness, hospitality, and education.
“Our coffee is not just a product; it is an experience of Uganda’s soil, people, and pride.” – Nelson Tugume
Visitors can explore coffee farms, learn roasting techniques, and engage in tasting experiences that celebrate Uganda’s culture and craftsmanship. This agritourism model bridges farmers and consumers, turning value chains into visitor experiences — while promoting rural enterprise, youth employment, and sustainable production.
Kagwa and Tugume’s vision aligns with Uganda’s evolving economic philosophy — one that places creativity and storytelling at the heart of national development. Supported by Hon. Francis Mwebesa, Minister of Trade, and Eng. Elias A. Mugisha, Private Secretary to H.E. the President (Infrastructure & Public Works), the government is redefining industrialisation to include cultural and digital enterprise as strategic pillars of competitiveness.
Creativity is now seen as industrial policy — a catalyst for exports, branding, and youth employment. Whether through digital tourism, agritourism, or design innovation, Uganda’s “experience economy” is demonstrating that culture and commerce can evolve hand in hand.
The Experience Economy marks a decisive shift in how Uganda engages the world. The country’s appeal now lies not only in its natural wonders but in its people — dynamic, youthful, and creative. From coffee farms to film studios, Uganda’s creative renaissance is redefining its role in world trade — not as a supplier of commodities, but as a source of stories, partnerships, and experiences that inspire global audiences.
Uganda’s new global identity is being built through experiences that fuse storytelling with strategy. By connecting tourism, agribusiness, and creative enterprise, Uganda is pioneering a model of inclusive growth where every encounter — from farm to festival — becomes a platform for innovation, culture, and prosperity.
“Experience is Uganda’s new export — powered by creativity, sustained by culture, and shared with the world.”
