Uganda tourism authorities have indicated that the country’s tourism sector is on a path to full recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tourism industry performance report 2023, released by Ugandan Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Tom Butime, revealed that Uganda’s tourism sector had demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2023.

The Minister said tourism revenue for the year ending 2023 had increased to more than US$1 billion from about US$687.2 million registered in the year ending 2022, which he attributed to massive tourism promotion by the ministry and other players.

The report showed that international tourist arrivals reached about 1.3 million in 2023, up 56.5% from the 814 508 visitors registered in 2022. Arrivals from Africa continued to dominate Uganda's inbound tourism with a share of 89.2%.

The total arrivals figure is, however, still below the pre-COVID period when the arrivals peaked at just over 1.5 million.

Butime added that the country expected to increase annual tourism revenue to about US$1.9 billion and increase inbound tourism revenue per visitor from US$1 052 dollars to US$1 500.

Tourism is one of Uganda's major foreign exchange earners, contributing approximately 5% to the country's GDP, according to data from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.