Mbale City will host Uganda’s national World Tourism Day celebrations on September 27 as the government seeks to use digital technology and artificial intelligence to promote tourism and showcase attractions in the eastern region.
The celebrations will be held under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” with officials saying technology is increasingly becoming central to how tourists discover destinations, make bookings and share travel experiences.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Ms Doreen S. Katusiime, said the tourism sector must adapt to the changing behaviour of travellers, who increasingly rely on digital platforms before deciding where to visit.
“The modern traveler 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 will increasingly depend on its visibility online, adding that artificial intelligence could help businesses improve marketing, understand visitors and offer personalised experiences.
“This means that our visibility in the digital space is now directly linked to our competitiveness as a destination,” she said.
The celebrations are also expected to promote tourism beyond Uganda’s traditional national parks and wildlife attractions by highlighting the culture, heritage and communities of the eastern region.
Uganda Tourism Board chief executive officer Juliana Kagwa said moving the celebrations to different regions is part of a deliberate effort to decentralise tourism promotion.
“We are actually on a very serious and intentional journey of decentralizing 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.”
She said Mbale and the wider Mount Elgon region have an opportunity to use the month-long campaign to tell their own tourism story, including the region’s coffee, culture and Imbalu traditions.
“Is it the coffee? Is it the Mbalu? Is it everything about Mbale that makes you special? This is your time,” Ms Kagwa said.
She added that social media and traditional media would be used to draw attention to attractions in the region.
“For us, we are bringing the power and the might of the media to shine a light on all things Mbale,” she said.
Ms Kagwa recalled that one of the first pieces of tourism content she created after taking up her current role was about Sipi Falls, describing the area as one of the most beautiful parts of the country.
The campaign comes as Uganda’s tourism sector continues to register growth despite challenges that have affected 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 in 2025.
Tourism receipts increased by 25.6 per cent to about Shs2.3 trillion, while the average length of stay rose from 7.4 nights to 8.3 nights.
She said the figures demonstrate the continued contribution of tourism to Uganda’s economic transformation.
However, Ms Katusiime cautioned that smaller tourism businesses risk being left behind as technology transforms the sector.
“Our digital transformation must be inclusive, and no tourism businesses should be left behind,” she said, calling on established businesses to share knowledge and mentor smaller operators.
Uganda Wildlife Authority Commissioner for Business Development Dorcus Twesigomwe Rukundo said Ugandans will also be encouraged to explore the country’s wildlife attractions as part of the World Tourism Day activities.
She said selected national parks and wildlife reserves will 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 reserves include Pian Upe, Toro-Semliki, Katonga and Ajai.
Dr Rukundo said the inclusion of Ajai is particularly significant following the recent relocation of rhinos to the reserve.
“It is an opportunity for Ugandans to see rhinos in the wild,” she said.
She also encouraged Ugandans 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,” Dr Rukundo said.
The 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 celebrations, saying it would give the city an opportunity to showcase its attractions and improve its tourism profile.
She thanked the organisers for selecting Mbale and praised UWA for its work in beautifying the city.
“Mbale City, if you visited Mbale maybe last year, when you come to Mbale City today, it’s different,” Ms Matuka said.
She also called for greater investment in tourism attractions outside Uganda’s traditional destinations.
“If we say we only host maybe these events in one particular place, we may not discover what other regions have,” she said.
Ms Matuka said the city had already started preparations for the celebrations and appealed for cooperation from national tourism agencies and other stakeholders.
“This is the first of its kind for us to host,” she said. “We need your support. We need to work together to make sure that this will be beautiful, celebrated, and all of us will benefit.”
The celebrations are expected to run throughout September, with activities aimed at promoting Mbale, Mount Elgon and the wider Eastern Region while encouraging Ugandans to explore the country’s tourism and conservation sites.
President Yoweri Museveni is also expected to attend the national World Tourism Day celebrations in Mbale on September 27.
The celebrations in Mbale will also feature a line-up of entertainment and public activities aimed at giving visitors a full tourism and cultural experience. Musicians Spice Diana, Fik Fameica, Ykee Benda and Suna Ben are expected to perform, while renowned Ugandan boxer and martial artist Moses Golola will also feature during the celebrations.
