Momentum toward a borderless African travel experience has accelerated after the Trans-Africa Tourism & Unity Campaign secured major backing from President Museveni during a high-level engagement at the Mayuge State Lodge.
A delegation from Ghana, which is spearheading the continental campaign, met with the President alongside representatives from the Ghana Consulate in Uganda, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA), and the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB).
The group presented their case for a visa-free Africa–an ambitious vision designed to boost intra-African tourism, investment mobility, and cultural exchange.
According to officials at the meeting, President Museveni welcomed the proposal and pledged his full support, stressing that Africa’s economic strength depends on deeper unity and the free movement of people across borders.
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He emphasized that tourism remains a powerful catalyst for integration, job creation, and cross-cultural understanding.
Uganda’s tourism authorities also reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the initiative. Officials from MTWA and UTB noted that the campaign aligns with Uganda’s priorities of strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing destination competitiveness, and maximizing tourism’s contribution to national development.
The Trans-Africa Tourism & Unity Campaign seeks to establish a harmonized travel ecosystem that allows Africans to move freely for tourism, business, and cultural interaction–drawing inspiration from Europe’s Schengen model.
Advocates argue that such a system would unlock enormous opportunities for small enterprises, airlines, tour operators, cultural institutions, and the broader creative sector.
With Uganda’s endorsement, the campaign gains a significant ally in East Africa and a boost in continental diplomacy. The Ghana-led delegation described the meeting as “a critical step toward building a unified African tourism identity.”
Organizers say the next phase involves continued engagement with heads of state, regional economic blocs, and tourism ministries across Africa to build consensus around the proposed visa-free framework.
For now, President Museveni’s pledge signals strong political will to reimagine borders–not as barriers, but as bridges to a more connected and collaborative African future.
