Uganda attracts more leisure tourists

Nov 20, 2020

Akankwasa said the country needs to reposition to attract more tourists to visit various parts of the country.

TOURISM|TOURISTS|LEISURE

KAMPALA - To track the tourism sector, more packages should be made to enable tourists stay longer because it was much affected by Covid-19.

With the effect of the pandemic, the tourism sector lost up to 80 percent of the revenue though effects are global. 

Dr Barirega Akankwasa, the Director Tourism Ministry and Trade revealed this during the launch of statistical and Economic analysis of Uganda's Tourism expenditure and motivation survey 2019 in Kampala on Friday (November 20, 2020).

The Uganda Wood assets and Forest resources account report was launched to crown the African Statistics week.

"Currently we are working with Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) to boost the tourism sector which is Uganda's leading foreign exchange in the economy and primary growth for sustainable economic transformation for Uganda," Akankwasa said.


He explained that with the opening of Entebbe International Airport, a recovery of 15 percent by the end of the first quarter was seen.

He said, "The length of stay for our visitors is about six days and 80 percent of them are promising to come back according to the survey." 

Akankwasa said the country needs to reposition to attract more tourists to visit various parts of the country. 

As of 2019, the tourism industry contributed 7.7 percent of the national GDP generating $1.6b annually and contributing 8 percent of Uganda's employment.

The visits of arrival stood at 1.6 million people as of 2019 with most as leisure tourists.

By 2019, the survey showed that 52 percent of tourists visiting Uganda come from African countries, an increase from 47 percent in 2012 while Europe accounted for 20 percent. 

It was further revealed that due to increase in facilities between 2012 and 2019, the same has increased by 45 percent from 25 percent.

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