Uganda is targeting $5 billion in annual tourism receipts by 2030, up from $1.62 billion last year, as the government seeks to attract more high-spending visitors and encourage longer stays, Finance Minister Henry Musasizi said on Wednesday.
Musasizi said increasing tourist arrivals alone would not be enough to meet the target, calling for investment in tourism facilities and products that can increase visitor spending and lengthen stays.
“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.
Uganda received 1.64 million international tourists in 2025, compared with 1.37 million in 2024, according to the government’s Tourism Development Programme Annual Performance Report for the 2025/26 financial year.
Tourism receipts rose 21.3% to 5.83 trillion Ugandan shillings ($1.62 billion), with average spending per tourist increasing to $986 from $933. The average length of stay edged up to 8.8 nights from 8.7 nights.
Musasizi said government would focus on creating conditions for private-sector investment, including foreign direct investment through partnerships and joint ventures.
Investment opportunities include hotels and conference facilities, eco-tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, faith-based tourism, agro-tourism, sports, wellness, adventure and the creative and entertainment industries.
The tourism sector directly supports 876,512 jobs, equivalent to 7.5% of Uganda’s total employment, according to the Tourism Satellite Account.
Infrastructure push
State Minister for Tourism Susan Nakawuki said government investment in infrastructure and tourism promotion was beginning to increase Uganda’s visibility in international markets.
She cited the construction of more than 280 km of tourism roads, expansion of Entebbe International Airport, development of Kabalega International Airport and the start of work on Kidepo International Airport.
Nakawuki called for further investment in tourism infrastructure, stronger international marketing, faster development of tourism products and improved skills among workers in the sector.
Musasizi said government would also support the industry through infrastructure development, conservation, digital transformation, affordable financing, fiscal incentives and economic and commercial diplomacy.
He urged tourism stakeholders to develop and market Uganda’s natural and cultural assets while ensuring that tourism generates jobs, foreign exchange and benefits for communities.
The government has increasingly identified tourism as a key sector in its broader economic transformation strategy, alongside agriculture, minerals and oil and gas, and science and technology.
