Uganda is taking its tourism campaign directly into the heart of Switzerland, with the Embassy of Uganda in Bern partnering with Private Safaris, a specialist African travel company in the Swiss market, to showcase the country as a destination for wildlife, nature, adventure and authentic African experiences.
The campaign, launched in Zurich, combines branded trams carrying images of Uganda’s wildlife and landscapes with digital advertising at Zurich Main Train Station, creating a sustained visual presence for the “Pearl of Africa” among residents, commuters and international travellers.
The tram campaign officially began on September 16, 2026, while the digital campaign at Zurich Main Train Station started on September 1.
The initiative comes as Uganda seeks to deepen its reach into international high-value tourism markets and convert growing global interest in the country into longer stays, higher visitor spending and greater tourism revenues.
Uganda puts its wildlife on Zurich’s streets
Zurich was selected for the campaign because it concentrates affluent residents and its potential as a source market for premium international travel.
Branded trams travelling through Switzerland’s largest city are carrying striking images highlighting Uganda’s natural and wildlife attractions, effectively turning the city’s public transport network into a moving showcase for the country’s tourism offering.
At Zurich Main Train Station, meanwhile, a promotional video highlighting Uganda’s tourism experiences is being displayed on advertising screens every 20 to 30 minutes
Together, the two campaigns give Uganda repeated exposure across both the city’s transport system and one of its busiest travel hubs.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in destination marketing, where countries increasingly target potential travellers where they live, work and commute rather than relying solely on conventional travel exhibitions and advertising.
A market built around high-value travel
Switzerland is being targeted not simply for visitor numbers but for its potential to generate higher-value tourism.
Uganda’s latest tourism statistics show the country’s international tourism industry continuing to expand. In 2025, Uganda recorded 1.64 million international tourist arrivals, a 19.7% increase from 2024, while tourism receipts reached UGX5.83 trillion (about US$1.62 billion). The average international visitor stayed for 8.8 nights.
The country’s tourism authorities have also identified longer stays and higher visitor spending as important components of the sector’s growth strategy.
That makes markets such as Switzerland particularly significant for Uganda’s efforts to strengthen premium tourism built around experiences such as gorilla trekking, wildlife safaris, mountain adventures, cultural encounters and nature-based travel.
Uganda has already been increasing its engagement with the Swiss market. In early 2026, the Uganda Tourism Board participated in the Bern Ferienmesse and FESPO Zurich Travel Expo, where Ugandan tourism officials and private-sector operators promoted wildlife, adventure, culture, luxury accommodation and nature-based experiences to Swiss travellers and tourism professionals.
From gorillas to the Nile
Uganda’s appeal to international travellers lies in the diversity of experiences available within one destination.
The country offers mountain gorilla encounters in Bwindi, chimpanzee tracking, savannah safaris, the dramatic Murchison Falls, the Queen Elizabeth National Park landscape, the source of the Nile and mountain trekking in the Rwenzori range.
Its tourism proposition also extends beyond wildlife to cultural heritage, community experiences, birding, white-water rafting and increasingly sophisticated lodge and safari offerings.
For Swiss travellers seeking nature and experiential tourism, Uganda is therefore being marketed not as a single attraction but as a destination capable of combining several experiences within one journey.
Embassy seeks sustained tourism growth
Speaking at the campaign launch, Uganda’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Marcel R. Tibaleka, said the partnership was intended to bring Uganda’s tourism offering closer to Swiss audiences.
“Through this partnership with Private Safaris, we are bringing Uganda to Switzerland, as a unique tourism destination and inviting the Swiss people to explore and discover the authentic experience our country has to offer,” Tibaleka said.
He said the Embassy expected the increased visibility to translate into more Swiss visitors travelling to Uganda.
The campaign also demonstrates the importance of cooperation between diplomatic missions and private tourism companies in opening international markets. Rather than treating tourism promotion solely as a government responsibility, Uganda is using partnerships with travel specialists that already understand consumer behaviour and travel preferences in target markets.
Tourism marketing becomes an economic strategy
For Uganda, the Swiss campaign is part of a larger effort to turn tourism into a stronger source of foreign exchange, employment and investment.
The Ministry of Tourism says tourism receipts reached a record US$1.62 billion in 2025, while the sector contributed about 16% of Uganda’s total export revenues. Tourism also directly supported more than 876,000 jobs, according to the 2025 statistical abstract.
The challenge now is not only attracting more visitors, but reaching markets capable of generating greater economic value through longer stays, premium accommodation, specialised experiences and higher visitor expenditure.
The Zurich campaign puts that strategy into practice by placing Uganda’s tourism brand in front of a carefully targeted international audience.
For the Embassy, the ambition is to move beyond visibility and build sustained demand through stronger partnerships with Swiss travel companies and consumers.
As Uganda’s tourism industry continues its post-pandemic expansion, the images of gorillas, savannahs, mountains and waterways now moving through Zurich are part of a broader message: the Pearl of Africa wants to be seen—and visited—by more of the world.
