Kenya, Uganda Push to Remove Travel Barriers, Lower Airfares
Kenya and Uganda are pushing to make travel between the two countries cheaper and easier, with high airfares and other cross-border barriers emerging as major obstacles to tourism, trade and business between the neighbouring East African states.
The push comes as the two countries prepare for the 5th Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit, which will be held in Mombasa on October 26 and 27 under a theme focused on removing policy bottlenecks and improving mobility across East Africa.
One of the biggest concerns raised by tourism and private-sector stakeholders is the cost of flying between the two countries. A flight from Entebbe to Nairobi, despite taking about 50 minutes, can cost as much as Ksh103,600, while a flight to the Kenyan Coast can cost about KSh91,000, making regional air travel too expensive for many travellers.
Uganda’s Consul General to Kenya, Amb. Herbert Kiguli, said the high cost of air travel was limiting movement between the two countries. He proposed that East Africa be treated as a single aviation bloc to help eliminate costs that make regional flights more expensive.
The situation could soon offer travellers cheaper options, with a low-cost carrier set to resume daily flights between Nairobi and Entebbe from October 1, 2026. One-way fares are expected to start at about Ksh22,950, offering a significantly cheaper option on the route.
For Kenyan travellers, lower fares could make short trips to Uganda more affordable while giving businesses a cheaper option for frequent travel between Nairobi and Entebbe.
Cheaper and easier connections is also projected to encourage more Ugandan visitors to travel to Mombasa and other coastal destinations, increasing demand for hotels, restaurants, tour operators, transport services and other businesses that depend on tourism.
“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.
He projected that by the end of 2026, more than 600,000 Kenyans could travel to Uganda, while Ugandans visiting Kenya could exceed 400,000. Uganda is already one of Kenya’s leading tourism source markets, while Kenya remains Uganda’s top source market.
Additionally, Kiguli said tourists were still required to declare the length of their stay despite Kenya and Uganda being members of the East African Community, while challenges accessing mobile money services can also affect visitors after crossing the border.
Kenya Association of Travel Agents Coast Region Chairman Patrick Kamanga said the lack of a regional tourism Electronic Travel Authorization was also hampering efforts to package multi-country itineraries covering Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. He called for lower fares on regional routes to increase passenger numbers and make such packages more attractive.
With cheaper flights and fewer travel barriers, Kenya and Uganda hope to increase tourism spending, strengthen trade and business links and encourage visitors to experience attractions across both destinations rather than choosing only one.
Source: kenyans.co.ke
