President Yoweri Museveni’s address, delivered by the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities Col Tom Butime at the World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations in Kasese has emphasized tourism’s crucial role in promoting peace and national unity.
Speaking to a gathering of leaders and dignitaries, the Minister conveyed Gen Museveni’s message, which highlighted tourism’s potential to drive socio-economic transformation and foster harmony in regions recovering from conflict.
Under the theme “Tourism and Peace”, the President stated that Tourism brings people together, allowing individuals from various backgrounds to connect, share ideas, and appreciate each other’s uniqueness. This fosters understanding, respect, and unity, even where political differences exist.
He added that tourism creates avenues for dialogue and reconciliation, even in areas that have faced political unrest or conflict. The very nature of tourism encourages people to explore, discover, and engage with new cultures and ideas, helping to bridge divides and build peace. “For countries that have experienced conflict, war, or insurgency, tourism becomes even more critical. It is clear that regions affected by unrest often suffer economically, as no tourist is willing to visit a war-torn destination.”
The region of Kasese, which has witnessed past insurgencies, provided a poignant backdrop for the president’s speech where he reminded the audience that peace is more than the absence of war but it goes beyond sleeping to growth and development socially and economically “It is the creation of an environment in which people can live together harmoniously, pursue their aspirations, and thrive,” he noted while adding that tourism plays a pivotal role in promoting such harmony.
The President also highlighted Uganda’s efforts to enhance its tourism infrastructure, skills development, and marketing strategies as part of its broader socio-economic goals, stating, “Government has integrated tourism into national development plans to ensure its alignment with Uganda’s broader economic goals, particularly in the National Development Plan IV.”
Despite challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Uganda’s tourism sector has shown remarkable resilience. The President attributed this success to the strategic vision of the current Government, which has continued to expand tourism infrastructure while ensuring peace and security.
He therefore called on for increased private sector participation and research in addressing ongoing challenges such as human-wildlife conflict and heritage conservation. “Ladies and Gentlemen, while we celebrate the successes and resilience of Uganda’s tourism sector, we must also acknowledge the need for continued research and data-driven strategies to drive policy decisions. Tourism requires adequate research on challenges such as human-wildlife conflicts, invasive species, and emerging tourist source markets. I encourage Uganda’s research community to engage deeply with the sector, producing studies that can inform policy and help us navigate the complexities of the tourism industry.”
The President expressed optimism about the future, underscoring the government’s ambitious goals of increasing Uganda’s tourism earnings twenty-fivefold by 2040.
“The government has set an ambitious target to grow Uganda’s economy from the current GDP of US$ 50 billion to US$ 500 billion by 2040, a significant part of this growth will be achieved by leveraging Uganda’s tourism potential. In the same period, the tourism foreign exchange earnings are expected to grow 25 times from the current US$ 2.0 billion to US$ 50 billion by 2040,” he said
Adding “The government has continued to improve connectivity through the development of tourism roads and the revival of the national carrier, there are additional efforts to invest in modernizing tourism infrastructure, diversifying tourism products and building the capacity of our workforce. All these will improve on quality services, maximizing tourist satisfaction, and expenditure, and increase the length of stay, making Uganda a competitive and attractive destination for tourists.”
He again asserted that tourism will not only contribute to Uganda’s economic growth but also help build bridges of peace both within and beyond our borders. “I reiterate the Government’s commitment to using tourism as a pathway to peace, economic growth, and social transformation.”
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