Arua City will this year host World Tourism Day celebrations as Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate the day on 27th September.
World Tourism Day was set by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation to raise awareness about tourism and its socio-cultural, economic and political impact on communities.
According to officials,Uganda will commemorate the day under the theme: Tourism and Sustainable Transformation, highlighting the critical role Tourism plays in driving sustainable development and positive change across economies, societies and the environment.
Uganda’s Vision 2040 recognizes tourism as a key sector for socio-economic transformation, aiming to elevate the country to an upper middle-income status. The vision emphasizes harnessing the sector’s potential for job creation, foreign exchange earnings, investment, poverty reduction, and conservation. To achieve this, the country is focusing on aggressive marketing, product diversification, skills development, and strengthening conservation efforts
During the first planning meeting held at the Council Hall, Emmanuel Angudubo, the Assistant Town Clerk of Arua City, urged the different sectors to diligently execute activities assigned to them for the success of the day.
Fred Wathum,Senior Tourism Officer of Arua City, said commemorating the World Tourism Day in Arua will open the whole of the West Nile region to more Investment opportunities urging local governments,business community and cultural institutions to tap into the sector,
He applauded government for the choice of Arua City to host the national event.
According to Wathum over 4000 guests are expected to attend the national tourism day celebrations.
Meanwhile hotels,guest houses in Arua and the surrounding towns of Nebbi, Maracha and Koboko are already undertaking preparations to host guests.
Tourism Business
Uganda’s tourism sector experienced a significant rebound in 2024, with notable increases in international tourist arrivals and earnings. International arrivals reached 1.37 million, recovering to 89.2% of pre-pandemic levels, and tourism receipts grew to $1.28 billion. This growth was fueled by longer average stays, increased per capita expenditure, and a shift towards leisure and premium tourism experiences. Domestic tourism also saw a rise, indicating greater participation from Ugandan citizens