Tourism institute secures sh1b for digitisation, curriculum devt

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The Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) has secured a shilling one billion (€260,000) for supporting curriculum development, staff capacity building, gender mainstreaming, entrepreneurship, digitalisation and improved collaboration with the private sector.

The revelation came to light during the grant agreement signing ceremony on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the tourism ministry in Kampala city.

The grant was provided by the Belgium government, with co-funding from the European Union, through Enabel, a Belgian agency for international co-operationto, to promote technical and vocational education and training in sectors with high job creation potential.

Enabel country director Tom Vanneste said the funding will support the ambition to make Uganda the leading sustainable tourism destination in Africa.

"As part of the partnership, UHTTI will work with leading Belgian hotel school Ter Duinen to exchange expertise across pedagogy, management and governance," he said.

UHTTI principal Richard Kawere said the funds will be utilised to upgrade the information technology infrastructure, ensuring that the students learn in an environment that mirrors the industry's demands and standards.

"This includes equipping the institute with state-of-the-art technology and creating space that simulates real-world hotel and tourism operations," Kawere said, adding that, by doing so, the institute will enhance the practical skills and employability of the graduates.

According to Kawere, the UHTTI instructors will also enhance their teaching methodologies, industry knowledge and practical skills that will not only improve the quality of education but also ensure that the curriculum remains relevant and aligned with international best practices. He further noted that the hotel and tourism training institute currently has 1,000 students, including those on apprenticeship.

Luc Pirson, the head of co-operation at the embassy of Belgium in Uganda, expressed commitment to supporting what he described as Uganda's huge tourism potential.

"That is why tourism is one of our main sectors of focus for partnership with Uganda," he said. According to Pirson, Belgium is currently investing over €2.5m (shillings 10.3 billion) in Uganda's tourism and hospitality sector.

Sanne Willems, the team leader from the European Union, said alongside Belgium, team Europe continues to support Uganda's development of local sustainable tourism with €50m (shillings 207 billion) through a programme known as 'WeWork.' She intimated that the programme supports the creation of green and decent jobs for the Ugandan youth, as well as youth-led enterprise development in the tourism sector.

"EU looks forward to continuing to strengthen its support by building on Uganda's profile as a sustainable tourism destination and supporting the business environment plus access to finance along the value chain," Willems stated.

Tourism minister Col (Rtd) Tom Butime, who witnessed the grant signing, underscored UHTTI's pivotal role in providing high quality skills training and knowledge to the Ugandan youths. He noted that the tourism sector has immense growth potential, contributing 6.6% to the country's gross domestic product and 7.2% to the national employment as well as supporting over 800,000 jobs across key sectors.

"Therefore, by investing in UHTTI, we are not just building institutions, but also the capacity of our people," Butime said.

About UHTTI

UHTTI is the only government-owned institution specialising in hotel and tourism training in the country. Located in Jinja city, the institute (under the tourism ministry) provides studies, training and research in subjects relating to tourism, hotel management and catering. Since its inception, it has churned out over 5,000 graduates with diplomas and certificates