The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has stepped up efforts to attract more Ghanaian visitors to Uganda following the launch of Uganda Airlines’ Entebbe–Accra route, targeting tourism partnerships, increased visitor numbers and investment.
The new service, which commenced on October 27, 2026, introduces four weekly flights between Entebbe and Accra via Lagos, Nigeria, expanding Uganda Airlines’ footprint in West Africa and creating new opportunities for travel between Uganda and Ghana.
The route is operated using a Boeing 737-800 wet-leased from Ethiopian Airlines, with promotional return fares advertised from US$550, subject to booking conditions and seat availability.
UTB said the new connection would provide a platform to strengthen Uganda’s tourism presence in Ghana through direct engagement with travel agents, tour operators and other industry players.
Over the next two days, the tourism agency will showcase Uganda’s Explore Uganda brand and engage Ghanaian tourism stakeholders, including the Ghana Tourism Authority, alongside business-to-business meetings aimed at developing partnerships that can translate improved air connectivity into actual visitor bookings.
UTB Chief Executive Officer Juliana Kagwa said the route presented an opportunity to deepen tourism and commercial ties between the two countries.
“This new connection brings Ghana closer to the Pearl of Africa. Our focus is to turn this connectivity into real partnerships with Ghanaian travel agents and tour operators, and into visitors, bookings and investment for Uganda,” Kagwa said.
The tourism board expects the engagements to encourage Ghanaian travellers to explore Uganda’s attractions, including its national parks, wildlife, cultural heritage and hospitality offerings.
At the inaugural flight ceremony, Ghana Airports Company Limited Managing Director Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare said the connection would expand travel options while supporting tourism, trade and economic cooperation.
She described the launch as “a significant milestone in the growing relationship between the two countries.”
Uganda’s Minister of Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, also linked the new route to broader African integration initiatives, including the Single African Air Transport Market and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The initiatives seek to facilitate the movement of people and goods across the continent, addressing connectivity challenges that have historically complicated business travel and commercial engagement between African markets.
Beyond attracting leisure tourists, UTB is positioning the route as an opportunity to grow business tourism by encouraging Ghanaian visitors attending meetings, conferences and trade engagements in Uganda to extend their stays and experience the country’s tourism offerings.
The strategy seeks to increase tourism spending while encouraging visitors to return with friends and family, creating longer-term value for the hospitality, transport and tourism sectors.
The new route also complements Uganda Airlines’ broader strategy to develop Entebbe International Airport into a regional connecting hub for African and international travel.
Uganda Airlines Acting Chief Executive Girma Wake has said the airline restructured its schedules from October 1 to coordinate arrivals at Entebbe, enabling passengers from regional destinations to connect more conveniently to long-haul services.
The arrangement is intended to improve connections to destinations such as London, Mumbai and Dubai, while giving travellers from Ghana more options for onward journeys through Uganda.
Improved connectivity could also make it easier for international visitors to combine Uganda with other African destinations, supporting multi-country travel packages promoted by tourism operators.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s published visa policy lists Uganda among the countries whose passport holders qualify for visa-free entry for stays of up to 90 days. Travellers are, however, advised to confirm applicable entry requirements with Ghanaian immigration authorities before departure.
UTB’s participation in the route launch reflects its broader mandate to market Uganda as a preferred tourism destination under the Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa brand.
The agency congratulated Uganda Airlines on the milestone, noting the importance of stronger air links in expanding Uganda’s access to international tourism markets.
As the new service settles into its schedule, the focus will be on converting the improved connectivity into stronger trade partnerships, increased visitor arrivals and greater investment in Uganda’s tourism sector.
