Opportunities in Tourism

Tourism is a fast-growing sector supported by the fact that Uganda is ranked as a top tourist destination and one of only three countries with about 50% of the world’s known population of endangered mountain gorillas. (Source: Lonely planet 2012 and CNN 2016, which ranked Uganda among the top 16 holiday destinations in the world)

Game viewing is the most popular tourist activity in the country’s national parks. This is because the country has a variety of game, including the rare tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, white rhinoceros, and elephant and it is home to 11% of the world’s bird species (a total of 1,060 bird species). It is also blessed with unspoiled scenic beauty including forests, hills and mountains, rivers and lakes. 

Opportunities in tourism range from :- 

• Constructing high quality accommodation facilities, 
• Operating tour and travel circuits (bicycle tours, air balloon travel, marine activities on Lake Victoria and river rafting on the Nile River) 
• Development of specialised eco and community tourism facilities and faith-based tourism such as pilgrimages to the Namugongo-Uganda martyrs, Mahatma Gandhi statue, and Bishop Hannington landing site on the Nile. 

Steadily growing tourist numbers are estimated to have reached 1.5 million per year, contributing 7.7% to GDP.