East African Community (EAC) member states have been urged to fast-track plans for a regional Single Tourist Visa as the bloc seeks to attract more international visitors ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Tourism ministers from the seven-member regional bloc adopted a 10-year marketing strategy covering 2027 to 2036, aimed at promoting East Africa as one tourism destination and ensuring countries beyond the three AFCON co-hosts, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, benefit from the tournament.
As part of the process, the EAC Secretariat will circulate an updated study on the proposed visa by October 20, 2026. Member states are expected to submit their feedback by November 30.
The proposed visa is one of five priority areas identified by the ministers. The others include joint tourism promotion, standardised hotel classification, improved tourism data collection and stronger cooperation in cross-border conservation.
The initiative comes as the region prepares to host AFCON from June 19 to July 17, 2027. The tournament is expected to boost demand for accommodation, transport, hospitality and other tourism-related services while showcasing East Africa’s attractions to an international audience.
EAC Deputy Secretary General Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth stressed the importance of maintaining high service standards ahead of the competition, warning that visitors’ experiences would shape perceptions of the region.
“The world will judge East Africa by the quality of the rooms, the meals and the service that our visitors receive,” Malueth said, calling on member states to speed up the classification of tourism establishments.
He also urged governments to complete domestic consultations on the Single Tourist Visa to make cross-border travel easier for football fans and other international visitors.
During their meeting, the ministers approved a common design for EAC tourism classification plaques and certificates. They also directed that classified tourism establishments be published in the EAC Gazette and endorsed examination results for newly trained assessors from Kenya and Tanzania.
Uganda’s Tourism Minister Tom Butime said closer regional cooperation in wildlife conservation, tourism standards, data collection and destination marketing would strengthen East Africa’s competitiveness in the global tourism market.
Under the new strategy, the EAC will promote its natural and cultural attractions through the regional brand, “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe”. The campaign will use digital marketing, strategic partnerships and tourism packages covering multiple countries.
The ministers further agreed to use AFCON 2027 to encourage visitors to explore attractions beyond the three host nations, positioning the tournament as an opportunity to promote tourism throughout the region rather than limiting travel to match venues.
Uganda has offered to host the fourth EAC Regional Tourism Expo alongside the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo in May 2027. The joint event will feature AFCON promotional activities and tourism packages spanning several countries.
Kenya Steps Up AFCON Preparations
Kenya has intensified preparations for the tournament, with Head of Public Service Felix Koskei recently announcing that government agencies were assessing readiness across key sectors.
These include stadium infrastructure, security, immigration, healthcare, transport, accommodation, electricity, information technology and broadcasting.
Koskei said technical consultations and inspections by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) were ongoing to identify shortcomings and guide preparations.
Beyond AFCON, the tourism ministers are seeking stronger regional coordination in the management of shared ecosystems, including Kidepo, Mount Elgon, Kagera and Virunga.
The EAC Secretariat has been tasked with coordinating a tripartite memorandum of understanding between Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda on the proposed Kidepo-Karamoja-Turkana Transboundary Conservation Area.
The regional strategy also calls for increased private-sector investment and the development of viable tourism projects capable of attracting financing. Member states have been urged to mobilise resources and establish monitoring mechanisms to track implementation.
Malueth observed that the benefits generated by regional tourism and wildlife management remained below the sector’s potential, calling for faster implementation of agreed initiatives.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to developing a resilient, inclusive and sustainable tourism industry across East Africa, while acknowledging support from development partners, including GIZ, the European Union, TradeMark Africa, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development.
