Kenya and Uganda are seeking to lower the cost of travel between the two countries as expensive airfares and other cross-border restrictions continue to hinder tourism, trade and business links between the neighbouring East African nations.
The initiative comes ahead of the 5th Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit, scheduled to take place in Mombasa on October 26 and 27. The summit will focus on addressing policy barriers and improving movement across the East African region.
A key issue highlighted by tourism and private-sector players is the high cost of air travel between Kenya and Uganda.
Despite a flight from Entebbe to Nairobi taking roughly 50 minutes, travellers can pay up to Ksh103,600 for the journey. Those flying to Kenya's Coast can pay approximately Ksh91,000, making air travel within the region unaffordable for many potential visitors.
Uganda’s Consul General to Kenya, Amb. Herbert Kiguli, said the high airfare was restricting movement between the two countries.
He suggested treating East Africa as a single aviation market as a way of eliminating charges that contribute to the high cost of regional flights.
Travellers could, however, soon have access to more affordable flights following plans by a low-cost airline to resume daily services between Nairobi and Entebbe from October 1, 2026.
The carrier is expected to offer one-way tickets from approximately Ksh22,950, providing a substantially cheaper alternative to existing fares on the route.
Reduced airfares would make short trips to Uganda more accessible to Kenyan travellers while also lowering transportation costs for businesses and professionals who regularly move between Nairobi and Entebbe.
The cheaper connections could equally boost travel in the opposite direction, encouraging more Ugandan tourists to visit Mombasa and other destinations along the Kenyan Coast.
An increase in visitors would benefit hotels, restaurants, tour operators, transport providers and other businesses that rely heavily on tourism spending.
“Cross-border tourism has continued to grow despite the existing challenges. Kenyans travelling to Uganda increased by more than 100,000 between 2024 and 2025, while Ugandans visiting the Kenyan Coast rose from about 170,000 to 260,000 during the same period,” Kiguli said.
Kiguli projected that the number of Kenyans travelling to Uganda could surpass 600,000 by the end of 2026. At the same time, Ugandan visitors to Kenya could exceed 400,000.
Uganda is already among Kenya’s major tourism source markets, with Kenya maintaining its position as Uganda’s leading source of tourists.
Beyond airfare, Kiguli pointed to other obstacles affecting cross-border travel. He said tourists were still required to declare the duration of their stay despite Kenya and Uganda belonging to the East African Community.
He also cited difficulties in accessing mobile money services as another challenge visitors may encounter after crossing the border.
Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) Coast Region Chairman Patrick Kamanga identified another barrier: the absence of a regional tourism Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
According to Kamanga, the gap makes it more difficult for travel agents to develop multi-country tourism packages combining destinations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
He called for reduced fares on regional routes, arguing that cheaper flights would increase passenger numbers and make multi-destination travel packages more appealing.
The two countries are now looking to use improved air connectivity and the removal of other travel barriers to stimulate tourism spending, deepen trade and business ties and encourage visitors to explore attractions in both countries instead of limiting their trips to a single destination.
