A recent Ministry of Tourism report for the 2022/23 financial year unveils a striking trend in Uganda’s tourism landscape, with nearly half of the tourists hailing from Kenya.
According to the Tourism Development Programme Annual Performance Report, out of the 814,508 tourists that visited Uganda in 2022, a substantial 46.2%—or 376,302—came from Kenya.
A report by monitor.co.ug, says East Africa emerges as a pivotal source market for Uganda’s tourism sector, contributing a significant 76.3% of the country’s total arrivals. The report, while emphasizing the importance of East African neighbors, does not delve into the specific earnings from the region during the period under review.
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Rwanda secures its position as the second most significant source of tourists, contributing 19.5% of total arrivals. South Sudan, Tanzania, and Eritrea follow closely, contributing 7.3%, 3.3%, and 3.2%, respectively, rounding off Uganda’s top five tourist sources.
The report highlights that Uganda’s primary sources of visitors during 2022 were its neighboring countries, solidifying their role as leading source markets. However, it notes that the 814,508 visitors recorded were significantly fewer than the 1.54 million registered in 2019 pre-Covid-19, though it marked a substantial improvement from the 473,085 recorded at the height of the pandemic in 2020.
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Beyond East Africa, other notable source markets include India, contributing 3.2%, and Burundi with 2.5%. The US, DR Congo, and the UK also make contributions of 1.6%, 1.4%, and 1%, respectively.
The report sheds light on the diverse reasons for visiting Uganda, with 38% of visitors coming to reconnect with friends and relatives. Business purposes account for 16%, while 10% visit for leisure or holiday.
Addressing stakeholders during the first Annual Tourism Review conference, Internal Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire emphasized the need to promote Uganda as a safe tourist hub, particularly given the fragility of the tourism sector. Otafiire also highlighted ongoing efforts to address indiscipline and enforce traffic and law enforcement regulations, identifying them as potential hindrances to tourism flow.
The report further outlines that the four main products for inbound tourism expenditure during the period were accommodation, food and beverages, passenger transport, and retail trade, collectively holding a substantial 68.8% share of total expenditure.
