Uganda's tourism sector is experiencing a significant boom, with a remarkable 26% increase in tourist arrivals during the first half of 2024.
Stakeholders say, this growth is driven by enhanced collective marketing efforts, MICE and improved infrastructure, underscoring the nation's rising appeal as a prime travel destination in Africa.
Uganda, often referred to as the "Pearl of Africa," primarily for its national parks, mountains, lake Victoria and river Nile among others has in the past recent seen exponential growth in the tourism sector .
However, because of the onset of covid-19, the sector grappled with the effects of pandemic including miminal travels both domestic and foreign bringing a sharp drop of tourist arrivals from 1.5 Million international arrivals in 2019 to 800,000 in 2022.
With fully opening of the economy accompanied by promotion initiatives, the numbers sour to 1.3M by the end of 2023.
The sector has further witnessed recovery with a substantial rise in tourist arrivals in the first six months of 2024.
With 704,012 international tourists in the first two quarters of 2024 up from 558678 in 2023 registering a 26% growth rate.
Vivian Lyazi, the commissioner of tourism development in the ministry of tourism, attributes this growth to a number of marketing representatives distributed across key potential tourist countries.
" I think marketing representatives across the region have represented destination Uganda well, but also the general marketing campaigns especially initiatives on domestic tourism also influenced this growth," Lyazi said.
"I think we have fully recovered and are open for business.
According to Geoffrey Baluku, a tourism consultant, the habituation of 25 gorilla families in Bwindi and Mgahinga for tourists has been a driving force and a magnet that attracted tourists from January to June this year.
"The 25 habituated gorilla families from the bigger number of wild gorilla in national parks for tourism no doubt sparked the growth because gorilla permit is the main bail for any tour/tourist and contribute 70% of the entire tourist revenue in Uganda," Baluki noted.
Lilly Ajarova, the CEO of Uganda Tourism Board, asserts that Meetings,incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) especially NAM and G77+ China summits and the speakers summit among others have enabled business visitors to opt for leisure tourism because of the diversification of cultural events and experience.
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"MICE destination brings business tourism but also aggressive marketing collaboration has positioned Uganda," Ajarova said.
Ajarova added that the experience Uganda offers and the cultural events in different communities keep both foreign and domestic tourists salivating for more.
She further commended the Uganda Airlines role in promoting destination Uganda and described it as a great marketing tool since it is the only reliable gateway for foreign tourists.
Much as Yogi Birigwa, the president of Uganda Tourism Association and a hotelier, acknowledges the rise in tourists citing an increase in the hotel visitors, she says they pay a lot of taxes for their accommodation premises which makes Uganda as a destination very expensive especially for African tourists.
"Hotels in Uganda pay 26 different taxes so we need to engage government to see that it consolidates taxes because that makes destination Uganda expensive for tourists especially domestic ones and it is more expensive compared to our competitors in the region," Birigwa said.
Stakeholders reiterate that the introduction of direct flights from major international hubs like Nigeria, Lusaka,Abuja, and Harare to Entebbe will significantly reduce travel time, making Uganda a more attractive destination for international travelers.
UTB is optimistic about the future, with plans to further promote Uganda's lesser-known attractions and develop new tourist routes.
