President Yoweri Museveni has urged Ugandans to embrace tourism as a major source of household income, employment and investment, calling for greater exploitation of the diverse tourism opportunities in the Elgon region. Museveni made the call on Sunday, September 27, 2026, while presiding over Uganda’s World Tourism Day celebrations at Mbale Secondary School grounds under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.
The President said tourism creates opportunities across a wide economic chain, benefiting accommodation providers, transporters, restaurants, guides, artisans, farmers, cultural performers and other businesses. He also toured the Mbale Wildlife Conservation Education Centre, commonly known as Mbale Zoo, established by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to promote wildlife conservation education and tourism in the Elgon sub-region.
Museveni said the facility would bring wildlife education closer to communities while adding another attraction to the region’s tourism circuit. The President further encouraged communities in the Elgon region to take advantage of tourism alongside commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services and ICT to expand household incomes.
His call comes as the government seeks to broaden Uganda’s tourism offering beyond traditional wildlife safaris. The Elgon region combines Mount Elgon’s landscapes with waterfalls, hiking and adventure experiences, coffee tourism, cultural heritage and community-based experiences. Preparations for the World Tourism Day celebrations had particularly highlighted Arabica coffee, malewa and Imbalu as products with potential to attract visitors.
Tourism Minister Col. (Rtd) Tom Butime said Uganda’s tourism sector had moved beyond post-pandemic recovery and was entering a period of growth, with the government seeking to strengthen investment in infrastructure, conservation and destination marketing.
He also emphasised the role of major events in expanding tourism beyond individual attractions, noting that conferences, sporting competitions and cultural festivals generate business for hotels, restaurants, transporters, event organisers and other enterprises.
With Uganda preparing to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Kenya and Tanzania, the Minister said major events could provide a platform for visitors to experience destinations beyond Kampala.
The Minister also called for easier travel into Uganda, including consideration of visa-on-arrival arrangements, arguing that greater ease of movement would support tourism and regional integration. Digital transformation was another major focus of the celebrations. Butime said artificial intelligence could help Uganda improve destination marketing, visitor information, bookings, conservation and understanding of traveller behaviour.
The Ministry has separately said Uganda is exploring AI-powered wildlife monitoring, digital destination marketing and data-driven approaches to identifying visitor trends and promoting lesser-known destinations.
Permanent Secretary Doreen Katusiime said the Elgon region’s cultural heritage, particularly Imbalu, could be developed into a larger cultural and entertainment attraction while maintaining its authenticity and ensuring that local communities benefit.
She proposed developing an annual Elgon cultural and entertainment season around Imbalu, bringing together music, dance, fashion, food, sports, adventure, arts and business.
The World Tourism Day celebrations are part of a month-long programme in Mbale designed to showcase the Elgon region and encourage domestic and international visitors to explore its attractions. The Ministry has urged tourism businesses to use digital platforms not only to create visibility but also to convert online interest into bookings, longer stays and increased visitor spending.
As Uganda positions tourism as an engine for jobs, investment, conservation and regional development, the celebrations in Mbale placed the Elgon region at the centre of the country’s push to diversify tourism products and use technology to connect Uganda’s destinations with wider markets.