How more conferences will boost our economy

Briefly tell us about yourself.I have been the chief executive officer of Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA) for the last eight years. I started as the first female CEO of this association. When I took over, I was the youngest person to hold this position.We started the association with about 220 members and currently, we have over 700 members. So, we have steadily seen UHOA grow as one of the biggest private sector associations in Uganda’s tourism industry.
You have been at the helm of UHOA during one of its most turbulent years; I am talking about the Covid-19 pandemic. Has the industry got back on its feet? What has changed?Uganda had one of the longest lockdowns. Uganda;’s tourism industry was one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. But, we had one of the least deaths in the world.It has taken us four years to get back on our feet and we got to a point where we were in 2019. The tourism industry will be back on its feet by 2025.By the end of 2024, we shall be operating at about the same rate that we did in 2019 before Covid-19.
It has not been easy. Many hotels closed down, but slowly and with funding from development partners, we had the tourism Covid-19 relief fund which was funded by the government through the Uganda Development Bank and the European Union, which gave money to hotels to rebuild, repay salaries and reopen their establishments.
We have had funding from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and now Enabel Uganda, who have trained young people for one year so that we can empower them to train in the hotels. The way we do things has changed. During Covid, we realised that (maybe) we were overemploying because before Covid, you would find a small hotel employing about 30 people, but slightly after Covid, we found that employees were a lot more productive when they were fewer, which helped us change the trends in which we were operating.
How does the hotel industry in Uganda rank regionally or on the continent, and what needs to be done to get where we want to be?When it comes to Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), Uganda has been steadily growing; not only in East Africa or the region, but also in Africa.Uganda is currently number six in Africa in terms of hosting meetings, conferences and events; and I am thinking in East Africa, it is Number Three behind Rwanda and Kenya. We successfully hosted the G77 Summit in January seamlessly. We also managed to bid and get the rights to co-host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
I recently visited Hoima and noticed a remarkable surge in activity. The town is bustling with preparations for an anticipated influx of visitors expected in 2027. Hotels are actively training staff to enhance their service, and the new airport is nearing completion, with several hotels under construction.In Kampala, the excitement is palpable with the upcoming openings of major hotels such as Hilton and Marriott. This reflects strong investor confidence and underscores the growth of the hotel industry. However, we now aim to see this expansion extend beyond Kampala, spreading the benefits of this development to other regions.
With the new airport set to open in Hoima, we are eager to see a major convention hosted outside Kampala. This would allow business activities to expand beyond the capital, leveraging Hoima’s growing infrastructure and creating new opportunities for the region.
In East Africa, we are still playing catch-up in the hospitality sector. I often hear concerns that many of our hotels are managed by individuals from Kenya, South Africa, and Europe, highlighting a gap in local training and expertise. For instance, Kenya's Utalii College sets a high standard that we are working hard to meet.
However, with the support of development partners, we are tackling this challenge head-on and making significant strides in improving local training and capacity.
In terms of infrastructure development, Uganda Airlines has expanded our connectivity, opening new routes and making travel more accessible. Previously, the Entebbe to Nairobi route was one of the world’s most expensive, which hindered international tourism.
With Uganda Airlines' new routes, we are poised to attract a substantial increase in international visitors for both business and leisure. To capitalise on this growth, it is essential that we develop high-quality lodges, implement rigorous grading and classification for hotels, and focus on training skilled personnel. This will ensure that our local service providers meet international standards and contribute to the growth of Uganda’s tourism sector.
Hotel and tourism often go hand-in-hand. The latter has recorded some growth. In 2022, 814,508 tourist arrivals were recorded, representing 59 percent. This is up from 512,000 recorded in 2021. What is the hotel outlook?Significant investments are underway in Kampala, which will enhance our ability to host Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE). With the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027 and the new airport in Hoima, we anticipate a surge in hotel development beyond Kampala and Entebbe.
We are also advancing our efforts in grading and classifying hotels in collaboration with the Uganda Tourism Board. This will increase the number of accredited hotels across the country, enhancing our marketability. For instance, when bidding for international conferences, a key factor often considered is the number of five-star hotels available. A well-graded and classified hospitality sector significantly strengthens our position on the global stage.
Furthermore, the upcoming opening of the Hotel Training and Tourism Institute in Jinja City this October will play a crucial role in elevating service standards and fostering the growth of the hotel industry in Uganda.
As hotel owners, we have collaborated closely with the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) and hold a seat on its board. We are anticipating the Institute’s opening, as it promises to address many of our challenges related to customer care, training, and capacity building.
We plan to work closely with UHTTI to develop a tailored curriculum that meets the specific needs of our industry. Our goal is to ensure that during their breaks, students can engage in hands-on training with hotel general managers, housekeepers, and marketers. This partnership will help bridge the skills gap and better align training with the evolving demands of the hospitality sector.
Last year, we closed at 1.6 million arrivals, but at one time our minister talked about bringing in 4 million arrivals. With the expansion of the airport, Hoima airport opening up and UHTTI giving us the right labour force, why aren’t we in position to reach the targets that were set?We have Uganda Airlines now opening three new routes, why would we not reach those numbers? So, it is a very exciting time for us to work in tourism and especially having come from zero percent occupancy during Covid-19.
There is a sharp divide between rural and urban hotels. How do you hope to deal with some of the concerns that rural hotels endure?There are valid concerns that rural hotels have not received the same level of marketing attention as those in Kampala. One effective strategy to promote these rural hotels is to encourage the hosting of meetings and events outside Kampala. We all know that large conferences in Kampala often lead to significant congestion and disruptions.
Fortunately, with the government's support and key stakeholders, we now have the large convention center in Munyonyo, which alleviates some of the pressure on Kampala. Delegates can travel directly from the airport to the convention center with minimal inconvenience.
However, we also want to ensure that these visitors experience the full range of what our country has to offer. By encouraging delegates to explore beyond Kampala, we hope they will spend time—and money—across the countryside. The road network, clean air, warm hospitality, and delicious local cuisine in rural areas offer a unique and memorable experience. This is the kind of authentic Ugandan experience we want delegates to enjoy and share.