The Government of Uganda has set an ambitious growth strategy for the next 15 years. It’s called the 10-fold growth strategy.
The strategy targets to propel Uganda’s economy from $50 billion to $500 billion by 2040. This growth will be driven by agro-industrialisation; tourism development; mineral-based development including oil and gas; and science, technology, ICT and innovation including the creatives industry (knowledge economy).
My interest is tourism. Uganda possesses vast tourism potential but lots of it has not been harnessed. Although small, Uganda is home to over to 43.9 percent of the world’s mountain gorillas, 7.8 percent of the world’s mammal species, including the unique tree climbing lions and white rhinos, 11 percent of the world’s bird species (1,063 bird species), Africa’s primate capital (Kibale Forest), and variety of butter flies and insects.
The beautiful mountain ranges including the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountain ranges, numerous fresh water lakes and rivers including second largest lake in the world (Lake Victoria) and the source of the world’s longest river (River Nile). The country boasts wonderful cultural heritage assets, friendly climate, fresh food and the friendliest people in the world.
Uganda is green and its terrain makes it an extraordinary destination.
In spite of this abundant asset base, tourism has consistently not received appropriate support. This sector has potential to impact every aspect of the economy, thereby spurring growth in every sphere of the economy. I am happy that at last, Uganda’s tourism is going to receive strong support from government. Leaping from the current $2 billion to $50 billion in annual earnings in 15 years will require a complete change in the way things are done. Government must walk the talk in addressing core issues that have for decades constrained tourism development.
The issues that have consistently been studied and documented are: tourism infrastructure, asset conservation, product development, marketing, skilling, standards, technology integration, research and access to finance for tourism enterprises. If the $50 billion target is to be realised, both government and private actors must learn the culture of sitting together to agree on priorities, and both have to learn to commit to what they agree to do. Government must create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive, and these have to be given space and support to drive tourism numbers.
Careful planning is needed to avoid mass tourism, and instead focus on value. Uganda has enough assets to tap into various niche markets to drive the right investment and type of visitors. Disorganised growth will only bring chaos and will undermine the long-term survival of the tourism sector. The time has come for universities to direct their research towards solutions that will improve tourism development. PhD and Masters research projects have to be aligned to the national priorities. Our research should inform policy and decision making at various levels.
My view is that the private sector has to be organised around Uganda Tourism Association (UTA), the umbrella association for the private sector. Government has to treat UTA as a partner in tourism development and must involve it in planning, execution and evaluation of priority programmes. This means that government has to engender genuine engagement and collaboration, and provide deliberate financing of the key activities of UTA.
All development partners in tourism have to align their interventions to the sector priorities, and must demonstrate how they contribute in concrete terms. Simply put, if Uganda is to reach anywhere close to the $50 billion mark, it can no longer do business as usual. Everything has to change, and must change immediately! The clock is already ticking towards 2040!