Government Targets US$5 Billion Tourism Receipts

The government is targeting US$5 billion in annual tourism receipts by 2030, more than three times the US$1.62 billion earned from international tourism last year, Finance Minister Henry Musasizi has said.

Musasizi said achieving the target will require Uganda to go beyond increasing tourist numbers by keeping visitors in the country longer and attracting travellers who spend more. He said tourism remains a high-priority sector because of its potential to generate foreign exchange, create jobs and spread income to communities outside the major urban centres.

Musasizi made the remarks on Wednesday while officiating at the fourth Annual Tourism Development Programme Review Conference at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala. 

The Tourism Development Programme Annual Performance Report for the financial year 2025/26 shows that Uganda received 1.64 million international tourists in 2025, up from 1.37 million in 2024. Tourism receipts increased by 21.3 percent to 5.83 trillion shillings, equivalent to about US$1.62 billion. 

The increase was attributed to higher visitor spending and longer stays. The average length of stay increased marginally from 8.7 nights in 2024 to 8.8 nights in 2025, while average expenditure per tourist rose from US$933 to US$986. 

The figures mean Uganda would need to more than triple its tourism earnings within four years to reach the US$5 billion target.

Musasizi said this will require deliberate efforts to develop and market a wider range of tourism products while creating an environment that allows private investors to expand accommodation, conference facilities and other tourism infrastructure. 

He called for stronger public-private partnerships to turn opportunities in eco-tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, faith-based tourism, agro-tourism, sports, wellness, adventure, creative and entertainment tourism into viable investments. 

“Tourism is a source of high economic growth, earns the country significant foreign exchange, creates jobs for Ugandans, redistributes income to rural areas, and gives us a compelling reason to protect our nature,” Musasizi said. 

He said government would continue investing in tourism infrastructure, destination marketing, product development, conservation, specialised skills and digital transformation, while improving the business and investment environment. 

Musasizi also pointed to affordable financing, fiscal incentives and economic and commercial diplomacy as measures that could help attract investment and promote Uganda as a tourism destination in international markets. 

The sector currently directly generates 876,512 jobs, equivalent to 7.5 percent of Uganda’s total employment, according to the Tourism Satellite Account. 

Musasizi urged tourism players to deliberately discover, develop, package and market Uganda’s tourism assets while ensuring that the sector remains sustainable and benefits local communities. 

State Minister for Tourism Susan Nakawuki said government efforts in tourism marketing, infrastructure development and product diversification were beginning to improve Uganda’s visibility on international markets. 

Nakawuki cited collaboration with Uganda’s diplomatic missions abroad and local governments as part of efforts to promote the country as a tourism destination. 

She also highlighted the construction of more than 280 kilometres of tourism roads, expansion of Entebbe International Airport, development of Kabalega International Airport and the commencement of Kidepo International Airport. 

Nakawuki said Uganda was also working to diversify tourism products and protect its cultural and natural heritage. 

However, she called for increased investment in tourism infrastructure, stronger marketing and promotion, faster development of new tourism products and improved skills among people working in the sector. 

The ministers said the expansion of tourism should ultimately translate into more jobs, increased foreign exchange earnings and greater economic benefits for communities that host Uganda’s tourism assets.