President Museveni Commissions Mbale Zoo, Urges Ugandans to Tap Into Global Tourism Market

The President made the remarks today while presiding over the national celebrations to mark World Tourism Day 2026 at Mbale Secondary School Grounds in Mbale City, held under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.”

President Museveni said tourism is among the lucrative service industries, particularly for households with limited land for commercial agriculture, and encouraged communities to position themselves to benefit from the sector’s wide economic multiplier effect.

He contrasted the size of the global tourism industry with the coffee market, saying tourism presents economic opportunities on a much larger scale because it supports a broad chain of activities, including accommodation, transport, food, entertainment, guiding, cultural enterprises and other services.

The President also commissioned the Mbale Wildlife Conservation Education Centre, commonly known as Mbale Zoo, established by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to promote wildlife conservation education and tourism in the Elgon Sub-region.

He commended UWA for establishing the regional facility, saying it would contribute to raising awareness about wildlife conservation while creating another tourism attraction for residents and visitors to the region.

President Museveni further urged residents of the Elgon Sub-region to take advantage of the country’s four broad wealth-creation sectors—commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)—to improve household incomes.

He said Uganda’s socioeconomic transformation depends on households participating in productive economic activities rather than relying solely on subsistence production.

President Museveni also unveiled a Tourism Conservation Strategy for the Elgon Sub-region, with emphasis on protecting forests and wetlands from encroachment and degradation.

He warned that environmental destruction threatens Uganda’s tourism industry because forests, wetlands, wildlife habitats and other ecosystems form an important foundation for the country’s natural attractions.

The President called for stronger conservation measures, particularly in the Elgon region, noting that changes in weather and temperatures demonstrate the importance of protecting the environment.

He observed that temperatures in the region have changed significantly compared with conditions experienced in the 1960s and called for greater utilisation of Uganda’s geographical advantages, including its latitude and altitude, while safeguarding the ecosystems that sustain them.

President Museveni described wetland encroachers and people involved in deforestation as enemies of Uganda’s tourism development, warning that environmental degradation could undermine the country’s tourism potential.

The President also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to developing last-mile infrastructure to tourism sites across the Elgon Sub-region and the rest of the country.

He said Uganda had made significant progress in establishing the basic conditions necessary for tourism growth, including peace, security, road connectivity and other supporting infrastructure.

The next priority, he said, should be extending roads, electricity, water, communication networks and other essential services to tourism attractions to make them more accessible and unlock their economic potential.

He said communities surrounding tourism sites should be positioned to benefit from increased visitor numbers through enterprises and services along the tourism value chain.

Bugisu Anthem for East African Federation:

During the celebrations, President Museveni also proposed that the Bugisu Anthem be considered as a possible anthem for the proposed East African Federation if the region’s long-term political integration aspirations are realised.

He praised the anthem’s lyrics and melody, highlighting its cultural significance to the people of Bugisu.

Tourism goes digital:

The Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Col. (Rtd) Tom Butime, said the Government is increasingly embracing digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as part of efforts to promote domestic and international tourism.

Hon. Butime said AI and other smart technologies could transform how Uganda markets and showcases its tourism destinations while making information about attractions more readily accessible to domestic and international visitors.

The minister said the 2026 World Tourism Day theme provides an opportunity for Uganda to examine how emerging technologies can improve the tourism experience, including through digital booking platforms, smart park gates and AI-supported safari planning.

He said the adoption of such technologies would improve efficiency, accessibility and the overall experience of tourists visiting Uganda.

Hon. Butime described Mbale and the wider Elgon Sub-region as areas with distinctive tourism products, citing the region’s spectacular scenery, Mount Elgon landscape, cuisine, cultural heritage and the hospitality of its people.

He said promoting local tourism products would encourage more Ugandans to explore and appreciate the country’s natural, cultural and culinary heritage while creating employment and business opportunities for communities.

However, the minister identified several bottlenecks that continue to constrain the growth of tourism in the region.

These include limited investment and access to capital for developing tourism facilities and services, as well as visa-related challenges affecting some international visitors.

Hon. Butime said addressing these constraints, alongside improving tourism infrastructure, investment and accessibility, would be critical to unlocking the Elgon Sub-region’s tourism potential and increasing its contribution to local economic development.

Netherlands eyes tourism investment opportunities:

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Uganda, H.E. Angèle Samura, highlighted emerging opportunities for increased tourism investment and cooperation between Uganda and European partners, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Ambassador Samura said areas of potential cooperation include human-capital development and skills training, sustainable hospitality practices, and the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and other digital technologies to improve tourism services and enhance visitor experiences.

She said Uganda is increasingly attracting European tourists, citing figures showing that tourist arrivals from Europe increased from about 38,000 in 2024 to approximately 150,000 in 2025.

Ambassador Samura described Uganda as a destination with a broad tourism offering, including its rich natural environment, wildlife, wellness experiences, food and culinary culture and diverse cultural attractions.

She said these products provide opportunities for Uganda to attract more international visitors while creating space for stronger collaboration between Ugandan and European tourism stakeholders.

She further stressed the need for continued improvements across Uganda’s tourism ecosystem to ensure that growing visitor numbers translate into greater benefits for communities and businesses.

Mbale City Mayor Joyce Matuka Kidulu highlighted the potential of digital tourism in positioning Mbale as a strategic tourism destination and a gateway to East Africa from Uganda’s eastern region.

Mayor Kidulu said the adoption of digital technologies can strengthen the visibility of Mbale’s tourism attractions, improve access to information and help connect the city and the wider Bugisu region to domestic and international visitors.

She also outlined a number of major projects in the pipeline for the Bugisu Sub-region, including the proposed Regional University of Science and Technology and a stadium, among other developments expected to support the region’s growth and contribute to its tourism and economic potential.

Mayor Kidulu also commended President Museveni for what she described as Uganda’s transformative development journey, particularly Government efforts towards women’s emancipation and increased participation of women in national leadership and economic development.

She said the progress made in empowering women has created greater opportunities for their participation in public affairs, business and other areas of national development.

The World Tourism Day celebrations brought together Government officials, tourism sector players, local leaders, cultural leaders, development partners and other stakeholders to showcase Uganda’s tourism potential and discuss ways of leveraging technology, investment and innovation to grow the industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.