KAMPALA | URN: Tourism and creative industry leaders, are pushing to prioritize film to become a major tool for marketing the country internationally. They believe that powerful local stories and scenic landscapes could attract tourists and investors if supported properly.
During a side event at the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) 2026, filmmakers, tourism officials, development partners, and government representatives, emphasized the need to deliberately use cinema to promote tourism and national identity, just like Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, and New Zealand did.
Francis Nyende from the director for marketing at Uganda Tourism Board, mentioned that destinations around the world have successfully used film to shape global perceptions and attract visitors.
“What comes to mind when you think about The Lion King? Kenya,” he said, explaining how films often market destinations more effectively than traditional tourism advertisements.
Nyende argued that film and tourism have historically operated separately, but Uganda now has an opportunity to intentionally combine the two sectors.
“One good film could literally change the story of a destination,” he said.
He suggested that the tourism board could support filmmakers through incentives, location access, partnerships, and co-creation of stories that promote Uganda’s image internationally.
Nyende added that frameworks are needed to guide partnerships between tourism agencies and filmmakers so that films can also support destination branding objectives.
Ola Awako, the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, emphasized that storytelling has become one of the strongest drivers of tourism promotion in Nigeria.
Awako, a trained journalist, noted that Nigeria’s success came from deliberate collaboration between government and the private sector.
He explained that Nigeria first built a strong audience through large quantities of films before later shifting focus toward quality productions rooted in culture and traditions.
“We believed in quantity first. The quantity sold Nigeria to the world,” he said.
According to Awako Nigeria has since invested in film academies, professional training, and tourism-focused storytelling platforms that encourage viewers to visit destinations featured in movies.
“Nigeria is currently developing a tourism-dedicated streaming platform that will connect film audiences directly to travel opportunities and tour operators,” he revealed. “If people watch a movie and want to visit the location, they can immediately connect to a tour package.”
He encouraged Uganda to continue strengthening collaboration between government and private filmmakers, saying Africa’s rich storytelling traditions can become powerful tools for tourism growth and economic development.
“With deliberate effort, Uganda can rise in film production and tourism development,” Awako said.
Basil Ajer the director for tourism in the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, highlighted that government has already approved a new tourism policy that broadens tourism promotion beyond wildlife and national parks to include culture, film, faith-based tourism, and creative industries.
He revealed that the ministry has already developed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Producers Guild to guide collaboration between filmmakers and tourism agencies.
According to Ajer, the agreement outlines how filmmakers can access national parks, cultural sites, and protected areas without relying on personal connections or unclear approval systems.
“The goal is to create clear guidelines so that access to locations does not depend on personal relationships or discretion,” he said.
He adds that discussions to create structured filming zones and easier access systems for productions, are ongoing seeking to showcase Uganda’s landscapes.
Nana Kagga, Vice President of the Producers Guild Uganda, said Uganda’s film industry has already made significant progress, with some Ugandan productions appearing on global platforms such as Netflix and Amazon.
But she says many opportunities remain concentrated among a few people in Kampala, leaving filmmakers in other regions without access to training, equipment, and professional networks.“We need to professionalize the industry nationwide,” Kagga said. “Film is a business and we are selling a product.”
She said Uganda needs regional film hubs, affordable production equipment, better training systems, and stronger government involvement through policies and co-production agreements.
According to her, many Ugandan filmmakers are self-taught, making it difficult to establish standardized production systems that can compete internationally.
She also stressed that Uganda has not fully used its landscapes and cultural heritage to drive tourism through film. “Uganda has incredible landscapes and stories, but we haven’t fully leveraged film as a tourism driver like other countries have done,” she said.
For sustainablity, Nikissi Serumaga, from the International trade center, said institutions supporting the creative economy must focus on building skills and helping creatives test new business models.
She adds that her organization is working on coordination tools and roadmaps to support Uganda’s creative sector while also partnering with local organizations to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.
Serumaga noted that grants remain important because they help creatives experiment and innovate before attracting larger investments from financial institutions. “At that stage, grants are very important. They allow experimentation and innovation to happen safely,” she said.
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