MBALE — Uganda will on September 27 hold its national World Tourism Day celebrations in Mbale City, with the government seeking to harness digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to promote tourism and showcase attractions in the eastern region.
The celebrations, which will run under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,”are expected to highlight the growing role of technology in how tourists discover destinations, make bookings, access services and share their experiences.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to attend the national celebrations, which will bring together government officials, tourism players, local leaders, cultural stakeholders and members of the public.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Ms Doreen Katusiime, said Uganda must adapt its tourism industry to the changing behaviour of travellers, who increasingly use digital platforms when choosing destinations.
“The modern traveller now increasingly discovers destinations online. They compare experiences. They make their bookings online. They pay digitally. They read reviews and they share experiences through social media and other digital platforms,” Ms Katusiime said.
She said Uganda’s competitiveness as a tourism destination would increasingly depend on its presence in the digital space.
“This means that our visibility in the digital space is now directly linked to our competitiveness as a destination,” she said.
Ms Katusiime added that artificial intelligence presents opportunities for tourism businesses to improve marketing, understand visitor preferences and provide more personalised experiences.
The decision to take the national celebrations to Mbale is also intended to broaden Uganda’s tourism narrative beyond the traditional focus on national parks and wildlife.
Uganda Tourism Board chief executive officer Juliana Kagwa said the move is part of a deliberate effort to decentralise tourism promotion and give different regions an opportunity to showcase their unique attractions.
She said the eastern region has a rich mix of culture, heritage, coffee, traditions and natural attractions that can be promoted to both domestic and international tourists.
“We are actually on a very serious and intentional journey of decentralising tourism from the usual traditional national parks, wildlife, Rift Valley, over-reliance on just landscape and wildlife,” Ms Kagwa said.
“We’re now going into the culture, the heritage, the provenance of our people.”
Ms Kagwa challenged stakeholders in Mbale and the wider Mount Elgon region to use the celebrations to tell their own tourism story, particularly through digital and traditional media.
She cited coffee, Imbalu traditions and other cultural attractions as some of the products the region can use to attract visitors.
“Is it the coffee? Is it the Mbalu? Is it everything about Mbale that makes you special? This is your time,” she said.
She added that the Uganda Tourism Board would work with the media to shine a spotlight on attractions in Mbale and the surrounding areas.
Ms Kagwa also recalled Sipi Falls as one of the tourism attractions she had highlighted shortly after taking up her current position, describing it as one of the most beautiful destinations in the country.
The campaign comes as Uganda’s tourism sector continues to record growth despite challenges facing the industry.
Ms Katusiime said Uganda received 739,815 international visitors between January and June 2026, representing a 3.7 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.
Tourism receipts rose by 25.6 per cent to about Shs2.3 trillion, while the average length of stay increased from 7.4 nights to 8.3 nights.
She said the performance demonstrates the important contribution of tourism to Uganda’s economic transformation.
However, she warned that small tourism businesses could be left behind if they are unable to adapt to technological changes.
“Our digital transformation must be inclusive, and no tourism businesses should be left behind,” Ms Katusiime said.
She called on established tourism businesses to share knowledge and mentor smaller operators to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation are widely shared across the sector.
The celebrations will also include efforts to encourage Ugandans to explore the country’s wildlife and conservation attractions.
Uganda Wildlife Authority Commissioner for Business Development, Ms Dorcus Twesigomwe Rukundo, said selected national parks and wildlife reserves would be open to Ugandans free of charge from September 25 to 27.
The parks include Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo and Kidepo Valley, while selected wildlife reserves include Pian Upe, Toro-Semliki, Katonga and Ajai.
Ms Rukundo said the inclusion of Ajai Wildlife Reserve would provide a special opportunity for Ugandans to see rhinos following their recent relocation to the reserve.
“It is an opportunity for Ugandans to see rhinos in the wild,” she said.
She also encouraged the public to visit the new satellite zoo in Mbale City, where UWA has relocated lions, zebras and ostriches.
“Please come and see what Mbale can offer,” Ms Rukundo said.
The satellite facility is part of UWA’s efforts to decentralise conservation education, with plans to establish similar facilities in other parts of the country.
Mbale City Mayor Joyce Kidulu Matuka welcomed the decision to host the national celebrations in the city, saying it would provide an opportunity to showcase the region’s attractions and raise its tourism profile.
She said the city had undergone visible improvements and urged stakeholders to use the celebrations to attract greater investment in tourism.
Ms Matuka also called for the development and promotion of attractions outside Uganda’s traditional tourism destinations.
“If we say we only host maybe these events in one particular place, we may not discover what other regions have,” she said.
She said Mbale City had started preparations for the celebrations and appealed to national tourism agencies and other stakeholders to work together to ensure the event benefits the city and the wider region.
“We need your support. We need to work together to make sure that this will be beautiful, celebrated, and all of us will benefit,” Ms Matuka said.
The month-long campaign is expected to promote Mbale, Mount Elgon and the wider Eastern Region, while encouraging Ugandans to explore the country’s tourism, cultural and conservation sites.
The celebrations will also feature entertainment and public activities, with Spice Diana, Fik Fameica, Ykee Benda and Suna Ben among the musicians expected to perform. Renowned boxer and martial artist Moses Golola is also expected to feature during the celebrations.
The national event will culminate in Mbale on September 27, bringing together tourism promotion, cultural showcases, conservation awareness and entertainment under the World Tourism Day programme.