BY Karim Were
KAMPALA, September 8, 2026 — Uganda is turning to artificial intelligence and other digital technologies to strengthen its tourism industry, improve visitor experiences and expand tourism earnings as the country seeks to make the sector more competitive in international markets.
The shift comes as Uganda reports continued growth in international arrivals. Between January and June 2026, the country received 793,815 international visitors, representing a 3.7 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.
The government is now seeking to use artificial intelligence to improve destination marketing, customer engagement, data analysis and business decision-making across the tourism value chain.
The strategy is expected to feature prominently during Uganda’s World Tourism Day celebrations, which will be held on September 27 in Mbale City under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.”
The initiative represents a broader effort to move Uganda’s tourism industry beyond traditional dependence on wildlife and national parks by using technology to promote cultural attractions, adventure tourism, business events and other experiences.
AI takes centre stage in tourism strategy
Speaking at the launch of Tourism Month in Kampala, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Doreen Katusiime said digital technology and artificial intelligence could play an important role in strengthening Uganda’s tourism competitiveness.
According to reporting by Daily Monitor, the ministry sees AI as having potential applications in marketing, customer engagement, visitor experiences, data analysis and business decision-making.
For Uganda, the emphasis on technology comes at a time when travellers increasingly use digital platforms to research destinations, compare accommodation, plan itineraries and make travel decisions.
A stronger digital presence could therefore allow tourism operators to reach prospective visitors before they arrive while also helping them obtain information about attractions, accommodation, transport and activities during their stay.
The strategy could also give tourism authorities access to better information about visitor preferences and travel patterns, allowing them to tailor marketing campaigns to specific markets.
Visitor numbers show continued growth
The latest visitor figures provide an indication of the importance of the tourism industry to Uganda’s economy.
The country recorded 793,815 international visitors during the first half of 2026, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities. The figure was 3.7 per cent higher than the corresponding period in 2025.
The increase comes as Uganda continues efforts to recover and expand tourism following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges that affected international travel.
Tourism authorities have increasingly focused on expanding Uganda’s source markets, strengthening destination branding and diversifying tourism products.
The Uganda Tourism Board says its mandate includes promoting Uganda domestically, regionally and internationally, supporting tourism investment and improving standards in tourism facilities.
The board has also been increasing Uganda’s presence at international travel exhibitions and conferences.
Uganda seeks to diversify beyond wildlife
Wildlife remains one of Uganda’s strongest tourism attractions, with mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, national parks and other wildlife experiences forming an important part of the country’s tourism offering.
However, tourism authorities are increasingly promoting a broader range of products.
Uganda’s tourism portfolio includes cultural and heritage tourism, adventure tourism, bird watching, religious tourism, business events and community-based experiences.
The Uganda Tourism Board describes the country as offering experiences ranging from mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to hiking in the Rwenzori Mountains and adventure activities along the Nile.
The board also highlights Uganda’s cultural diversity, including traditional kingdoms, historical sites, culinary experiences and community tourism.
Digital technology could help these less internationally known attractions gain greater visibility.
Instead of concentrating marketing around a handful of established destinations, tourism authorities can use digital platforms to present travellers with a wider range of experiences based on their interests, budgets and available travel time.
Technology could change the visitor experience
The use of artificial intelligence in tourism is not limited to advertising.
AI-powered systems can potentially assist travellers with itinerary planning, destination information, language assistance and customer service.
For tourism businesses, digital tools can help analyse booking patterns, identify customer preferences and improve communication with potential visitors.
Hotels, tour operators, restaurants and attractions can also use digital platforms to provide information before and during a visitor’s journey.
For Uganda, such technology could be particularly useful in connecting international travellers with smaller tourism businesses that may not have the marketing resources of large hotels and established tour companies.
However, technology alone will not guarantee tourism growth.
The quality of roads, accommodation, hospitality services, conservation management, air connectivity, visa systems and other parts of the visitor experience will continue to influence whether tourists choose Uganda and whether they recommend the destination to others.
World Tourism Day to highlight digital transformation
Uganda’s decision to place artificial intelligence at the centre of this year’s World Tourism Day celebrations reflects the government’s broader interest in using technology to modernise the sector.
The national celebrations will take place in Mbale City on September 27.
The event is expected to provide a platform for government officials, tourism businesses, technology experts and other stakeholders to examine how digital tools can support tourism development.
The choice of Mbale is also significant because eastern Uganda has a range of attractions that could benefit from greater visibility.
The wider eastern region offers opportunities linked to Mount Elgon, cultural tourism, adventure activities, nature and community experiences.
Greater digital exposure could help connect these attractions with domestic and international travellers.
Tourism and economic development
Tourism is important to Uganda not only because of international arrivals but also because of its connections to employment, foreign exchange earnings, transportation, hospitality, agriculture and small businesses.
A tourist who visits a national park may spend money on accommodation, transport, park fees, food, guiding services and locally produced goods.
This creates an economic chain extending beyond the attraction itself.
For communities located around tourism destinations, increased visitor numbers can create opportunities for guides, craft producers, restaurants, accommodation providers and transport operators.
Technology could potentially strengthen that chain by making more local businesses visible to travellers.
The challenge will be ensuring that digital transformation benefits businesses and communities across the tourism value chain rather than concentrating opportunities among a small number of large operators.
Uganda strengthens international tourism marketing
The technology push comes alongside other efforts by Uganda to promote itself as an international tourism destination.
In February 2026, Uganda received the Best Exquisite Destination Award at the Outbound Travel Mart in Mumbai, India, according to the Uganda Tourism Board.
Uganda has also participated in international tourism exhibitions and conferences as part of efforts to reach new markets.
In March, the country showcased its wildlife conservation achievements at ITB Berlin, with a focus on rhino and primate conservation.
The Uganda Tourism Board has also pursued tourism promotion in European and African markets.
These campaigns indicate that Uganda’s tourism strategy is increasingly combining destination marketing with product diversification.
AI and digital tools could add another layer to those efforts by allowing campaigns to become more targeted and data-driven.
Conservation remains central to tourism
As Uganda seeks to increase visitor numbers, conservation will remain an important consideration.
The country’s wildlife attractions depend on the protection of ecosystems and species that draw visitors.
Uganda has recently highlighted conservation achievements as part of its international tourism promotion.
In March 2026, rhinos were reintroduced to Kidepo Valley National Park after an absence of more than four decades, a development described by the Uganda Tourism Board as a major conservation milestone.
Such developments can provide additional tourism opportunities while demonstrating the relationship between conservation and destination marketing.
But increased tourism also requires careful management.
Higher visitor numbers can put pressure on ecosystems, infrastructure and communities if growth is not properly planned.
A successful digital tourism strategy will therefore need to work alongside conservation, sustainable tourism practices and responsible destination management.
Uganda also prepares for AFCON 2027
Uganda’s tourism ambitions extend beyond ordinary leisure travel.
The country is preparing to co-host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027 alongside Kenya and Tanzania, giving it an opportunity to present its tourism attractions to a wider international audience.
The Uganda Tourism Board has identified AFCON 2027 as an important opportunity to showcase the country’s culture, people and tourism products.
The tournament could bring football supporters, journalists, officials and other international visitors to Uganda.
That makes digital tourism promotion particularly important.
Potential visitors attending sporting events can also be encouraged to extend their stays and visit national parks, cultural attractions and other destinations.
The challenge of turning visibility into revenue
For Uganda, the next stage will be converting growing visibility and visitor numbers into sustainable tourism revenue.
An increase in arrivals does not automatically mean that tourism earnings will rise at the same rate.
The length of visitor stays, expenditure patterns, accommodation choices and the distribution of tourism activity across the country all matter.
Uganda’s tourism industry therefore faces the task of attracting not only more visitors but also encouraging longer stays and greater spending across a wider range of local businesses.
Artificial intelligence may assist with some of this work by helping tourism authorities and private operators understand traveller behaviour.
But the effectiveness of the strategy will depend on the quality of the underlying data and the ability of businesses and government agencies to use it responsibly.
Digital access and the human element
While technology can improve convenience, tourism ultimately remains a people-centred industry.
Visitors still depend on guides, hotel workers, drivers, conservation staff, restaurant employees and communities to provide their experiences.
Digital tools should therefore complement rather than replace human interaction.
Training tourism workers to use new technologies will be important if Uganda wants digital transformation to translate into better services.
There is also a need to ensure that smaller operators can participate.
If only major companies have access to advanced digital marketing and AI tools, technology could widen existing gaps within the industry.
Making digital skills and affordable technology available to smaller tourism enterprises could help spread the benefits more widely.
A new phase for Uganda’s tourism industry
Uganda enters this new phase with a growing tourism sector, a diverse range of attractions and an increasingly deliberate international marketing strategy.
The reported 3.7 per cent increase in international visitors during the first six months of 2026 provides an encouraging indicator, although the longer-term performance of the sector will depend on whether the growth can be sustained.
The country’s decision to make artificial intelligence the theme of its 2026 World Tourism Day celebrations suggests that policymakers see digital transformation as more than a marketing tool.
They are positioning it as part of the wider effort to modernise the tourism industry, improve competitiveness and connect Uganda’s destinations with travellers around the world.
The coming months will show whether those ambitions translate into measurable improvements in visitor experience, tourism earnings and opportunities for businesses and communities.
For Uganda, the goal is increasingly clear: use technology to make the country’s natural, cultural and adventure attractions easier to discover while ensuring that tourism growth remains sustainable and economically inclusive.
Conclusion
Uganda’s tourism sector is entering an increasingly digital era as the government seeks to use artificial intelligence and technology to attract visitors, improve services and strengthen tourism’s contribution to the economy.
With nearly 794,000 international visitors recorded in the first half of 2026, the sector has already shown signs of continued growth.
The challenge now is to build on that momentum.
If effectively implemented, digital transformation could help Uganda reach new markets, promote lesser-known destinations and give tourism businesses better tools to understand and serve travellers.
But technology will be only one part of the equation. Sustainable conservation, reliable infrastructure, quality hospitality, efficient visitor services and meaningful participation by local communities will remain essential.
As Uganda prepares for World Tourism Day in Mbale and looks toward major international events such as AFCON 2027, the country has an opportunity to combine its longstanding tourism strengths with new digital capabilities.
The success of that approach will ultimately be measured not simply by how many people see Uganda online, but by how many choose to visit, how long they stay, what they experience and how widely the economic benefits of tourism are shared.
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