The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquates has hosted the third Annual Tourism Development Programme Performance Review Conference, a high-level forum aimed at evaluating the progress of the tourism sector under the third National Development Plan (NDP3) and laying the groundwork for the transition to NDP4.
Speaking during the ceremony, Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja emphasized the critical role tourism plays in Uganda’s economic transformation, highlighting its comparative advantage as a fast-growing sector with substantial potential for job creation, especially in rural areas.
“Tourism is one of Uganda’s most promising sectors and a key pillar of our strategy to grow the economy tenfold by 2040,” said Prime Minister Nabbanja. “This review meeting is not only timely but aligns perfectly with the Government’s goal of positioning Uganda as a preferred tourism destination.”
Prime Minister revealed that Government is prioritizing infrastructure development citing that significant investments have already been made to upgrade tourism roads, aerodromes, water transport, internet connectivity, and railway infrastructure especially in regional cities targeted to become tourism hubs.
“These investments are deliberate. Under NDP4, we are directing public spending towards improving the enabling environment so tourism businesses can thrive,” she stated.
Uganda’s ambitious Vision 2040 targets a tenfold economic growth from a GDP of US$60 billion to US$500 billion. The tourism sector is expected to play a pivotal role in this transformation.
Over the years, tourism has continued to be is not just about leisure; but about livelihoods, income, and inclusive growth.
According to Hon. Tom Butime, the minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities stated that there is need for the sector to get the attention and resources it deserves since its one of biggest GDP revenue contributors.
“The Tourism industry has undoubtedly faced significant challenges with gaps in tourism promotion, infrastructure, skills development, and heritage conservation however due to resilience, domestic and international tourism numbers have continued to increase as a result of the direct Government investment in Tourism and supporting infrastructure as well as the sustained peaceful, secure and supportive environment that the NRM Government has provided for tourism to thrive over a long time.” Butime said.
Doreen Katusiime, in her remarks delivered by Goeffrey Seremba, the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism stated that the range and quality of tourism-related products, experiences and services available in Uganda are improving and it is pleasing to see Ugandans joyfully and increasingly taking part in domestic tourism.
“It is my hope that insights in session was aimed to inform policies and plans as well as investment decisions, collaborations and interventions by both public and private actors as we strive to enhance Uganda’s attractiveness as a preferred tourism destination while contributing to the realization of Uganda’s Vision 2040 of transforming Uganda from a peasant society into a modern and prosperous country.” She said.
Tourism remains among the major contributors to Uganda’s economy and continues to be on a positive trend. In the year 2024, tourism contributed 6.6% to Uganda’s GDP and directly supported 803,691 jobs, representing 7.2% of the country’s total employment.
In 2024, global tourism performance nearly hit the pre-COVID-19 levels with tourist arrivals reaching 1.445 billion compared to the year 2019 where 1.464 billion tourist arrivals were realised. Similarly, a total of USD 1.59 trillion in receipts was realised in the year 2024 against USD 1.49 trillion that was registered in 2019.
Africa received 73.6 million visitors in the year 2024 and Uganda welcomed 1.37 million arrivals. This was an increase of 7.7% from the arrivals that Uganda registered in the 2023. Tourist arrivals to Uganda were dominated by East African markets and those from overseas mainly came from India, USA, China, and Canada.
Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings from tourism rose to UGX 4.8 trillion (USD 1.28 billion) in the year 2024. In the same year, Uganda’s tourism contributed 5.7% of GDP and supported 803,691 jobs. Leisure tourism grew 33%, MICE tourism increased 5%, and average tourist length of stay rose to 8.7 nights while hotel occupancy averaged 53.2%.
Domestically, Ugandans undertook 2.8 million tourism trips which generated UGX 5.09 trillion. Events like the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE 2025), Namugongo Marty’s day celebrations 2025, and Nyege Nyege, among others boosted tourism revenues.
