Uganda Positions Coffee Tourism as High-Value Growth Frontier Linked to $2.3bn Export Industry
Uganda is actively integrating its coffee sector into its national tourism strategy, with officials and industry players at the Uganda Coffee and Cocoa Expo 2026 in Kampala framing origin-based experiences as a means of extending visitor stays and increasing per-capita spending. The country exported 8.6 million 60-kilogram bags between June 2025 and May 2026 - up from 7.4 million bags the previous year - generating approximately US$2.3 billion in export earnings and reinforcing Uganda's position as East Africa's volume leader. Government policy documents, including the Tenfold Growth Strategy and the Fourth National Development Plan, now anchor coffee tourism within broader economic ambitions, with tourism revenue targeted to grow from around US$1.45 billion to US$5 billion by 2028/29.
On the ground, development is taking shape across a range of scales. Inspire Africa Coffee's Africa Coffee Park in Ntungamo District is being developed as an integrated industrial and hospitality hub, with a coffee resort, education facilities and a flagship festival planned from 2027, while smaller farm-based lodges in the Rwenzori foothills are already converting working coffee estates into multi-night visitor experiences through guided farm walks, roasting demonstrations and farm-to-fork dining. However, analysts caution that execution risks - including farmer cash-flow constraints, weak rural infrastructure, drought impacts and quality challenges - could limit the viability of premium experiences if left unaddressed. Capital needs span the full value chain, from lodge construction and farm roads to processing equipment and digital booking infrastructure, with the sector's long-term trajectory dependent on how effectively Uganda converts its current pilots into a coherent, investment-ready coffee tourism trail.
Source: Further Africa