THE UGANDA HANDCRAFTS EXPO 2022.

Hand crafted Table ware — Wooden hand crafted table ware

The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities (MTWA), with support from the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) is organising the Handcraft Expo 2022, scheduled for November 24 – 26, 2022, at the Uganda Museum, Kamwokya. The theme for this year’s Expo is "Rethinking Tourism through Culture and Creative Hands." The Expo will be graced by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Uganda, Nabbanja Robinah, as the Chief Guest at the Opening Ceremony.

The Expo will present a rare opportunity for the people involved in the handicraft and souvenir subsector to meet new clients, network, and discuss business opportunities with potential local and regional purchasers and other stakeholders, including service providers along the sector's value chain.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ms. Doreen Silver Katusiime, said that this is the first time in the History of Uganda that a handicrafts and souvenirs Expo is being organised at national level. She further noted that “This is important for tourism and the host communities in Uganda because every time tourists (Local and International) visit them, they buy and come back with a souvenir or handicraft product to remind them of the places they have visited. In the process, as they buy such products, they provide some income of the producers and sellers of those products."

“The majority of those participating handicraft and souvenir industry are young men and women. Therefore, this Expo, provides them an opportunity to showcase their products to public and to the police makes to identify the necessary support required to develop and market their products. We look forward to a growing Uganda handicraft and souvenir industry because it provides the country greater opportunities to exploit its abundant mineral resources, such as clay, which is used to make ceramics’’.

The ultimate focus of this year’s Expo is to help to create and increase value addition, improve the quality of handicraft and souvenir products and increase their demand in both the domestic and international markets. We also aim at diversification of such products by provide information about their availability on the Uganda market.

During the Expo, the general public will attest to the authenticity of a variety of products made in Uganda, including mats, bags, wood carvings, ceramics, jewellery, fashion accessories, textiles, cow horn products, leather products, music instruments, baskets, bark cloth products, coffee, leather products, horticulture, and tourism, among others, produced by Ugandan Artisans.

The Expo is expected to attract participation from more than 100 companies from all over Uganda, all of which will display only local products and over 10,000 people are expected to visit the exhibition as either buyer, trade visitors from businesses like hotels, restaurants, and private firms as well as exporters and promoters.

The Expo will bring together stakeholders in the handicraft and souvenir sector, including; service providers along the sector value chain, which will present a unique opportunity for them to meet new clients, network and discuss business deals with potential domestic and regional buyers. The Expo will also provide the best opportunity for producers to showcase their products, bring awareness of the different types of handicrafts and souvenirs in the country, connect with new customers such as exporters, mass producers, hotels, training institutions, the hospitality sector, interior decorators, among others.

On the side-lines of the Uganda Handicrafts Expo 2022, there will be a symposium, that will cover a number of Topics such as, the contribution of culture to Uganda's economy, branding and marketing, value addition in the handicraft and souvenir industry, e-commerce in the industry, business registration and legalisation, standardisation and quality assurance, and financing for the sector. These will provide participants with information and skills required in the management of their businesses.

Additionally, Uganda will use the Expo to promote investor inflows, reveal the numerous tourism potentials, and present investment opportunities under the tourism sector.

Kampala, Uganda, November 07th, 2022