Uganda wants tourism to generate $50b (Shs200.4 trillion) in foreign exchange earnings by 2040, but rising visitor numbers and receipts are yet to translate into comparable growth in leisure travel, exposing investment and infrastructure gaps that could constrain the sector’s ambitions.
International tourist arrivals rose 19.7 percent in 2025, while tourism receipts reached $1.7b (Shs6.8 trillion) in the 2025/2026 financial year (FY), according to figures presented by Finance minister Henry Musasizi. The figures underline tourism’s growing economic importance, even as the sector faces questions about marketing investment, access to attractions and the delivery of planned projects.