WAS - East Africa Tourism Intelligence Brief (26 May - 1 Jun 2026)

Weekly

Regional

01 June 2026

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The week of 26 May to 1 Jun 2026 was defined by two parallel narratives for East Africa tourism. The Ebola outbreak, centred in eastern DRC and with 9 confirmed cases in Uganda, continued to drive international travel advisory escalation, with the UAE, North America and Rwanda all issuing new restrictions during the period. At the same time, Uganda's National Parks remained fully open and operational throughout the week, Gorilla Trekking continued uninterrupted, and the country hosted its 10th Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) with over 200 international buyers in attendance and a $17.5 million EU funding commitment secured. Rwanda maintained zero confirmed Ebola cases and its tourism infrastructure continued to perform strongly.

For tour operators, travel agents and travel partners, the operating environment requires careful client communication and itinerary review, but the core product is intact and the long-term demand signals remain firmly positive.

EBOLA WATCH

CASE STATISTICS (as at 1 Jun 2026)

UGANDA

Confirmed cases: 9 (all DRC-linked).
Confirmed deaths: 1

No community transmission confirmed in any wildlife tourism zone. All National Parks remain open and operational throughout the reporting period. DRC land border closed with immediate effect from 28 May. DW (28 May 2026)

DRC

Confirmed cases: 282
Confirmed deaths: 42

Outbreak concentrated in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. WHO Director-General Tedros visited Bunia personally on 30-31 May and stated the outbreak can be stopped. Five confirmed recoveries by 1 Jun, including four nurses discharged from Bunia hospital. Reuters (31 May 2026) | GMA Network (1 Jun 2026)

RWANDA

Confirmed cases: 0
Confirmed deaths: 0

Zero confirmed cases throughout the reporting period. Rwanda introduced a 30-day entry restriction on travellers with DRC travel history from 28 May 2026. Wego (28 May 2026) ==End of OCR for page 1==

KEY DEVELOPMENTS - EBOLA

26 May - Uganda Ministry of Health mass gatherings directive. Circular CDC 085/600/03 formally suspended mass gatherings, cultural festivals, public rallies, border markets and community events across 30 named high-risk districts. Gorilla Trekking, a structured, guided, small-group activity, is not classified as a mass gathering and was not suspended. Uganda Ministry of Health (26 May 2026)
28 May - Uganda closes DRC land border. All bus, boat and passenger transport crossings between Uganda and DRC closed with immediate effect. Freight and essential goods continue. This closure does not affect any international tourist routing into Entebbe. DW (28 May 2026)
28 May - North America trilateral coordination. US, Canada and Mexico issued a joint statement announcing aligned Ebola travel health measures linked to the FIFA World Cup 2026 beginning in June. Canada's 90-day entry ban and 21-day quarantine took effect during the week. Travel and Tour World (28 May 2026)
29 May - Kenyan court blocks US quarantine facility. A Kenyan High Court temporarily blocked the US plan to establish a quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, Kenya for Americans exposed to Ebola. The ruling leaves US policy on handling exposed citizens in the region unresolved. Politico (30 May 2026)
29 May - WHO Director-General arrives in DRC epicentre. Tedros flew to Bunia to lead the response personally, warning the epidemic was 'outpacing us' but stating it can be stopped. WHO identified three experimental treatments for clinical trial prioritisation. Communities urged to maintain safe burial practices. PBS NewsHour (30 May 2026)
30 May - UAE government advisory issued. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal advisory urging Emirati nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Uganda, DRC and South Sudan. The UAE Ministry of Health and NCEMA held an emergency coordination meeting. No UAE entry ban in place as of 1 Jun 2026. Emirates airline issued a separate travel advisory to all passengers. The National News (19 May 2026) | Travel and Tour World (30 May 2026)
31 May - WHO pushes back on travel restrictions. Speaking from Bunia, WHO Director-General Tedros urged countries imposing travel bans to reconsider, warning that restrictions drive cases underground and undermine transparency. This creates a direct tension between WHO guidance and the policies of the US, Canada, Rwanda and Uganda's own DRC border closure. Bernama (31 May 2026)
1 Jun - Suspected cases outside Africa not confirmed. Two suspected cases in Brazil (Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro) and one in Italy (Sardinia) were investigated during the week. As of 1 Jun: the Sao Paulo case tested positive for meningitis (Ebola not ruled out); the Rio case tested positive for malaria (Ebola not confirmed); the Italian case remained under investigation. No confirmed Ebola transmission outside DRC and Uganda. BSS/AFP (1 Jun 2026) | GMA Network (1 Jun 2026)
1 Jun - EAC emergency health summit called. The East African Community called an emergency meeting of health ministers this week to coordinate a regional response to the outbreak. A coordinated East African response should strengthen containment and improve the information environment for operators and clients. Dawan Africa (31 May 2026) ==End of OCR for page 2==

United States. Entry ban for non-citizens and green card holders from Uganda, DRC and South Sudan. US citizens must return via Washington Dulles, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson or Houston George Bush Intercontinental. Kenya quarantine facility temporarily blocked by Kenyan court. Politico (30 May 2026)
Canada. 90-day entry ban for DRC, Uganda and South Sudan residents. 21-day mandatory quarantine for all returnees from affected areas, in force from 30 May. CBC (27 May 2026)
Rwanda. 30-day entry ban for travellers with DRC travel history in the past 30 days. Zero confirmed cases in Rwanda. Wego (28 May 2026)
Bahrain and Jordan. 30-day entry bans for travellers from Uganda, DRC and South Sudan. The National News (19 May 2026)
Thailand. Entry permitted via Suvarnabhumi Airport only. Negative test required on arrival.
UAE. Travel advisory for Emirati nationals. No formal entry ban. NCEMA activated. Travel and Tour World (30 May 2026)
EU and UK. No entry bans. Enhanced screening at selected airports. Standard monitoring in place.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS - GENERAL

Uganda hosts 10th Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo.

President Museveni opened POATE 2026 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, with over 200 international hosted buyers and media representatives in attendance. The Uganda Tourism Board hosted a cultural gala at Ndere Centre. UTB Chairperson Pearl Hoareau Kakooza confirmed the sector is registering significant growth. The expo proceeded despite the Ebola situation, demonstrating Uganda's commitment to maintaining its tourism profile. New Vision (27 May 2026)

Uganda secures $17.5 million EU tourism investment.

The European Union confirmed a $17.5 million funding commitment to Uganda's tourism sector at POATE 2026, signalling sustained international confidence in Uganda's long-term trajectory as a destination. The investment is directed at infrastructure development and destination promotion, reinforcing Uganda's push to rival established East African safari markets. Travel and Tour World (27 May 2026)

Nine airlines seek Uganda operating licences.

Uganda Civil Aviation Authority confirmed receipt of licence applications from nine new airlines seeking to operate in Uganda, reflecting growing regional confidence in Entebbe International Airport as a hub. This signals expanding future connectivity options for tour operators and their clients routing through EBB. Travel and Tour World (28 May 2026)

SalamAir Muscat-Kigali route confirmed for 21 July 2026.

Oman's SalamAir confirmed the launch of twice-weekly direct flights between Muscat (MCT) and Kigali (KGL) from 21 July 2026, with fares from OMR 69.99. This is a significant development for the Gulf-Rwanda tourism corridor, opening an affordable direct routing for GCC-based travellers to Rwanda without connecting through the Middle East hubs. FTN News (26 May 2026)

David Attenborough gorilla documentary drives Rwanda visibility.

Netflix's 'A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough', which premiered in April 2026, continues to drive significant global awareness of Gorilla Trekking as an experience. The documentary has generated sustained media coverage and consumer interest in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park and Uganda's Bwindi and Mgahinga parks, providing a strong backdrop for partner marketing efforts. Forbes (April 2026) ==End of OCR for page 3==

AFCON 2027 confirmed as major Uganda tourism catalyst.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is being positioned as Uganda's most significant tourism moment in a generation. Sports tourism stakeholders at POATE 2026 highlighted AFCON 2027 as an opportunity to permanently shift perceptions of Uganda as a multi-purpose destination beyond wildlife, drawing sports tourists, infrastructure invest

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