Finance Minister Henry Musasizi has said Uganda is targeting annual tourism receipts of Shs18 trillion by 2030 as the Government seeks to increase the sector’s contribution to the economy.
Musasizi said the target, equivalent to about $5 billion, will require Uganda to attract more international visitors, encourage longer stays and position itself as a destination for high-value tourists.
He made the remarks on Wednesday while officiating at the 4th Annual Tourism Development Programme Review Conference at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.
“Achieving this target will require not only increasing visitor numbers but also increasing the length of stay and attracting high-value visitors,” Musasizi said.
According to the Tourism Development Programme Annual Performance Report for the financial year 2025/26, Uganda received 1.64 million international tourists in 2025, up from 1.37 million visitors in 2024.
Tourism receipts also rose by 21.3 per cent to Shs5.83 trillion in 2025, equivalent to about $1.62 billion, driven by increased visitor spending and longer stays.
The average length of stay increased slightly from 8.7 nights in 2024 to 8.8 nights in 2025, while average tourist expenditure per trip rose from $933 to $986.
Musasizi said the government’s responsibility is to create an environment that enables the private sector to invest in tourism facilities, improve standards and attract foreign direct investment through partnerships and joint ventures.
He called for stronger public-private partnerships to convert Uganda’s tourism opportunities into viable and bankable investments across hotels and conference facilities, eco-tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, faith-based tourism, agro-tourism, sports, wellness, adventure, creative and entertainment tourism.
“Government must deliberately create an environment where the private sector can invest, expand facilities, improve standards and attract foreign direct investment through partnerships and joint ventures,” he said.
The tourism sector currently directly supports 876,512 jobs, representing 7.5 per cent of Uganda’s total employment, according to the Tourism Satellite Account.
Musasizi 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.
He also pointed to affordable financing and fiscal incentives for investors, alongside economic and commercial diplomacy aimed at promoting Uganda in international markets.
“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 urged stakeholders to deliberately discover, develop, package, market and sustainably manage Uganda’s tourism assets so that the sector can create more jobs, generate foreign exchange and improve the livelihoods of communities.
State Minister for Tourism Susan Nakawuki said the government’s investment in tourism marketing, infrastructure development and product diversification was beginning to produce results, citing increased visibility of Uganda on international markets and collaboration between Uganda’s missions abroad and local governments.
Nakawuki said Uganda had also made progress in improving infrastructure to support tourism, including the construction of more than 280 kilometres of tourism roads and the expansion of Entebbe International Airport.
She also cited the development of Kabalega International Airport and the commencement of Kidepo International Airport as part of efforts to improve access to tourism destinations.
“Government’s efforts in tourism marketing, infrastructure development and product diversification are beginning to yield results, but we must do more to position Uganda competitively on the international tourism market,” Nakawuki said.
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.
Nakawuki also stressed the need to protect Uganda’s cultural and natural heritage as the country seeks to expand tourism and increase the sector’s contribution to the economy.
