OPINION
Editor, recently the media reported about the minister for tourism wildlife and antiquities protesting against the 2024/2025 tourism budget cuts, saying that Budget cuts it will affect the earnings, could also hinder government goals of boosting tourism foreign exchange earnings to Us $ 50 billion by 2040 and the development of the National Development Plan (NDP) iv. In my opinion, the Ministers idea is very truth because the tourism sector is among the sectors that contributes much to the country’s economy.
It is noted that government want to take the decision to cut the tourism budget sector by shillings 135 billion from311 billion allocated in the current financial budget of 2025/ 2026. This means that next financial year 2025/2026 will remain with only 175.9 billion shillings for the sector to implement its activities.
The tourism sector should be prioritized in the financial year 2025/2026 because the sector it was seriously hit by Covid- 19 and it contributes much to the government economy, people’s livelihood and also the environment.
For instance in 2023, the country welcomed 1.286 million international tourists generating about USD 1.4 billion. Total export revenues also rose to 1.6 trillion Uganda shillings, Making a 95% increase. Overall tourism contributed over 5.6 trillion Uganda shillings to the economy, supporting foreign currency reserves and improving the balance of trade.
In terms of job creation tourism sector has generated over 53600 jobs directly and indirectly, improving the living standards for Ugandans
More so, Tourism sector in Uganda contributes to a 7.6% GDP from the travel and tourism sector, because of this an international tourism agency , Bradt Guides, ranked Uganda as the fourth place on the Earth to visit in 2024.
With all the above tourism contributions, the sector shouldn’t be taken slightly. If government of Uganda cuts the financial Budget for tourism sector 2025/2026, it means that the sector activities will not be fully implemented and this will seriously affect the country’s earnings, employment the development of the Uganda’s vision 2040 and National Development Plan (NDP) IV and any others.
Therefore, I call on government of Uganda to increase and prioritise the financial year Budget 2025/2026 for tourism sector. This will increase foreign exchange earnings, employments but also help the country to achieve the National Development plan (NDP) IV and also the Uganda’s vision 2024.
By Kato Paul, the writer is a Research Associate and Environmental Activist, at AFIEGO.
E-mail: katop.adyeeri@gmail.com
