The Uganda Tourism Association (UTA) President, Mrs. Yogi Biriggwa, has urged the government and development partners to direct more efforts and resources towards accelerating post-pandemic recovery in the tourism sector.
In a World Tourism Day 2024 speech delivered on her behalf by Mr. Isa Kato, the Vice President, Mrs. Biriggwa acknowledged that while there had been a near-complete recovery of pre-pandemic figures, more investments were necessary to meet the funding targets set out in the National Development Plan III.
“Allow me to thank the government, especially under the leadership of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for direct interventions such as the Credit Relief and Loan Restructuring Measures by the Bank of Uganda, the Small Business Recovery Fund (SBRF), the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), and the European Union (EU) Tourism Facility, among many other initiatives that helped a significant portion of the tourism sector withstand the effects of the pandemic. The government has also made several other investments in security, transport, and energy infrastructure, which have contributed to the sector’s recovery to about 83% of pre-pandemic tourism numbers,” she said.
She further expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, led by Rtd Col. Dr. Tom Butime, for guiding the sector through this recovery. She also thanked development partners such as the World Bank, the European Union, and Enabel (the Belgian Development Agency), among others, for their support.
According to the latest figures, international tourist receipts grew by 48.5% in 2023, from UGX 2,751.5 billion in 2022 to UGX 3,818.6 billion (USD 1.025 billion). This represents 83.4% of the UGX 4,580.4 billion (USD 1.232 billion) recorded in 2019.
“In a special way, I would also like to thank my colleagues in the private sector—the accommodation facility owners, tour operators, travel agents, tour guides, community-based organisations, cultural organisations, events and conference organisers, as well as arts and craftspeople—who are the true last-mile face of Destination Uganda. The ultimate responsibility of delivering an excellent visitor/tourist experience lies in their hands. Despite the challenging environment, you have stood firm and given your best,” she remarked.
In line with the World Tourism Day theme—Tourism and Peace—Mrs. Biriggwa emphasized the vital connection between tourism and peace, stating, “Tourism, especially thriving tourism, is a strong foundation for holistic peace.”
“Peace is a prerequisite for the success of tourism, and successful, thriving tourism reinforces peace. Thriving tourism promotes overall happiness, and happy people are peaceful people,” she added.
“This year’s World Tourism Day is an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come in creating a thriving Ugandan tourism sector, especially in light of the 2020-2021 pandemic that brought the industry to its knees,” she reiterated.
However, Mrs. Biriggwa cautioned that despite the sector’s near-full recovery, there was still much work to be done. She noted that the UTA board had already begun engaging the Ministry of Tourism’s leadership.
“We are grateful that they have been open to discussions with our new Board, and we look forward to a productive working relationship. However, we recognize that the Ministry is limited in resources. Over the last four years of NDP III, they have only received 40% of the planned funding. Yes, Uganda is a naturally gifted country, but optimal funding is needed to refine, package, and market this product called Destination Uganda,” she stressed.
“As we approach the final year of NDP III and look toward NDP IV, and as we begin the budgeting cycle for FY2024/25, my appeal to the cabinet, parliament, and our development partners is to allocate sufficient resources to ensure we maximize the potential of the Pearl of Africa. The private sector is open to consultations on how best to direct resources to maximize return on investment,” she stated.
On behalf of the Uganda Tourism Association (UTA) Board and members, she concluded by renewing her pledge to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure the growth in volume and value of tourism in Uganda in service of the country.
