Uganda is set to host the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Africa in February 2027, marking a major shift in the country’s positioning within Africa’s fast-growing hospitality investment landscape as global investors search for new hotel development opportunities across emerging markets.
The summit—one of the continent’s most influential platforms for hospitality investment in Africa—will bring together international hotel brands, developers, private equity investors and policymakers to Kampala, at a time when Uganda is accelerating efforts to attract foreign direct investment into tourism and hotel infrastructure.
The announcement was made in Kampala by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in partnership with FHS Africa organisers, underscoring Uganda’s ambition to position itself as a competitive destination for hotel development, tourism infrastructure investment, and branded accommodation expansion in East Africa.
Uganda’s tourism sector has rebounded strongly, with international arrivals surpassing 1.6 million and annual tourism earnings estimated at $1.6 billion to $1.7 billion. The government is now betting on tourism as a core growth engine under its broader development strategy, with a focus on scaling leisure tourism, business travel, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) activity.
“Uganda is increasingly being viewed as an emerging hospitality investment destination,” said Roy Bannister, Business Development Director at FHS Africa. “Our role is to connect global capital with markets where hotel development potential is strongest. Uganda is clearly entering that category.”
The country is targeting a new wave of hotel investment in Kampala and key tourism destinations, driven by undersupply in branded accommodation and rising demand from both regional and international travellers. Industry data indicates growing investor interest in East Africa, supported by improved air connectivity, expanding middle-class travel, and increasing cross-border business activity.
UTB Chief Executive Officer Juliana Kagwa said Uganda is now focused on converting tourism growth into structural investment across the value chain.
“We are not only targeting visitor numbers; we are targeting investment across the entire tourism ecosystem—hotels, lodges, experiences and infrastructure,” Kagwa said. “By the time FHS Africa convenes in Kampala in 2027, we want it to be a deal-making platform for Uganda hotel investment and tourism expansion.”
Uganda’s strategy is increasingly benchmarked against global tourism success stories such as Thailand and Peru, where sustained infrastructure investment transformed natural attractions into high-value tourism economies.
Key destinations expected to benefit from increased investment interest include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to the endangered mountain gorillas, and Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the country’s most visited safari circuits. These locations are central to Uganda’s push to expand eco-tourism and luxury safari lodge development.
The Uganda Hotel Owners Association described the announcement as a milestone after years of lobbying to bring the summit to Kampala. The association expects the event to accelerate partnerships between local operators and global hotel chains seeking entry into East Africa’s underdeveloped hospitality markets.
Meanwhile, the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) said the summit aligns with its mandate to attract FDI into tourism, real estate, and hospitality infrastructure, sectors seen as critical for job creation and skills development.
Analysts note that Uganda remains significantly underbuilt in branded hotel capacity compared with demand trends, particularly in the upscale and midscale segments. Kampala is expected to lead urban hotel expansion, while safari destinations continue to attract lodge and resort investment.
The summit also comes ahead of Uganda’s hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, a development expected to further boost tourism visibility and infrastructure demand.
Ahead of the event, FHS Africa and Ugandan agencies plan investment roadshows and deal-focused engagements aimed at converting interest into signed projects in Uganda’s hospitality and tourism sector.
As global capital increasingly looks toward frontier markets in Africa, Uganda’s hosting of FHS Africa signals its intent to move from an emerging destination to a serious contender in the continent’s next wave of hotel and tourism investment growth.