MBALE – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has affirmed government’s support for last-mile tourism infrastructure in the Elgon Sub-region and across the country, saying the country has established the peace, security and stability necessary for the tourism sector to flourish.
Speaking during the 2026 World Tourism Day national celebrations held in Mbale City, the President noted that Uganda has made significant progress in putting in place the key prerequisites for tourism development, including security, road connectivity and other supporting infrastructure.
He added that the next focus should be on extending infrastructure and essential services to tourism sites and attractions to make them more accessible to visitors and unlock their full economic potential.
President Museveni later commissioned the Mbale Wildlife Conservation Education Centre – Mbale Zoo, and urged residents to tap into the $11.6 Trillion global tourism market.
The President encouraged residents to venture into productive sectors with the potential to maximise household incomes, particularly service industries such as tourism, which he said offer significant opportunities for people who may not have sufficient land for agricultural activities such as coffee farming.
He described tourism as a highly lucrative industry with a broad multiplier effect, benefiting communities and individuals directly and indirectly involved in the sector.
He compared the value of the global tourism industry with the coffee market, noting that tourism generates economic opportunities on a scale he said far exceeds those available through coffee production.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Col. Rtd. Tom Butime revealed the Ministry’s agenda to promote domestic tourism through digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence, as Uganda seeks to unlock the full potential of its tourism sector.
Butime called for action on tourism industry bottlenecks in Elgon Sub-region, highlighting limited investment and access to capital, which continue to affect the development of tourism facilities and services, as well as visa-related limitations affecting international tourists.
He said addressing these challenges, alongside improving tourism infrastructure, investment and accessibility, will be critical to unlocking the region’s tourism potential and increasing its contribution to local economic development.
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Uganda, H.E. Angèle Samura, highlighted emerging opportunities for joint tourism investment between Uganda and European partners, particularly in the hospitality sector.
Ambassador Samura described Uganda as a destination with a broad tourism offering, pointing to its rich natural environment, wildlife, wellness experiences, food and culinary culture, and diverse cultural attractions as areas with potential to attract more international visitors.
She further pointed to the need for continued improvements in Uganda’s tourism ecosystem for more benefits.
Sale Namenya, representing private sector players in Uganda’s tourism industry, highlighted the sector’s landmark achievements and its growing contribution to Uganda’s economy.
Namenya noted that tourism has emerged as one of the country’s leading contributors to GDP and is still promising. He however called for increased investment in critical infrastructure to unlock the full tourism potential of the Elgon Sub-region.
Mbale City Mayor Joyce Matuka Kidulu highlighted the gains from digital tourism in positioning Mbale as a strategic tourism destination and gateway to East Africa from Uganda’s eastern region.
She further outlined key projects in the pipeline for the Bugisu Sub-region, including the proposed Regional University of Science and Technology and a stadium, among other developments expected to support the region’s growth.
