Uganda Trails in Domestic Tourism Due to Citizens' Reluctance to Explore Local Attractions

Uganda’s domestic tourism remains underdeveloped mainly because citizens show little interest in discovering their own country’s attractions, according to Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) CEO Juliana Kagwa.

Speaking at the launch of the Utalii Africa Tourism and Investment Expo in Kampala on April 8, Kagwa challenged attendees: many in Kampala have never seen Kasubi Tombs or Gaddafi Temple, while Jinja residents skip the Source of the River Nile. She contrasted this with Kenyans and Tanzanians who actively tour their nations.

“It should be every citizen’s responsibility to explore Uganda, starting with local sites,” Kagwa urged. Kenya recorded 5.2 million domestic travelers in 2025, boosting total visitors to 7.9 million, thanks to better marketing and infrastructure. Tanzania saw over 3.2 million local visitors annually, fueled by flights and promotions.

Uganda shows promise, with a 25.3% increase in local conservation area visits in 2023, reaching 1.1 million, driven by free ‘Open Park Days,’ affordable deals, and holiday travel.

Kagwa criticized the education system for focusing on foreign landmarks over Uganda’s treasures, recalling learning U.S. airports in primary school but discovering local sites later. UTB now plans school packages for attractions, and gorilla permits for Ugandans cost Shs 253,000 versus $700-800 for foreigners.

She encouraged private sector involvement to hit targets like $20 billion in annual revenue by 2035-2040, $3 billion by 2027 ahead of AFCON, and $50 billion by 2040. Utalii Africa CEO Francis Mugisha stressed partnerships for growth.

The expo is set for June 25-27, 2026, at Kololo Independence Grounds under the theme “One Africa, One Market.”

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)