World Tourism Day 2026 — Mbale Celebrations

On 27 September 2026, Uganda joined the global community to celebrate World Tourism Day 2026 in Mbale City, under the national theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.” The celebrations were officiated by H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who reiterated the significance of safeguarding the country’s natural resources as the foundation of the tourism industry.

President Museveni emphasized that forests, wetlands, rivers, mountains and national parks are national economic assets rather than obstacles to development, noting that the increasing wildlife populations and restoration of forests and wetlands demonstrate that conservation and economic development can reinforce each other when properly managed. He also highlighted government investment in roads, airports, energy and telecommunications infrastructure that is opening up all parts of the country for tourism.

In line with the 2026 theme, the President advised on the use of Artificial Intelligence in destination marketing, visitor information, product development, customer engagement, conservation management and understanding visitor behaviour — a fitting endorsement of the Ministry’s new AI assistant, Pearl, which was launched earlier in the Tourism Month programme.

A key milestone of the day was the commissioning of the Mbale Wildlife Education Centre (MWEC) — a regional wildlife centre established by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities together with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the people of Mbale. The MWEC brings wildlife education and appreciation closer to communities who would otherwise travel long distances to experience Uganda’s wildlife. During his visit to the Centre, the President experienced animals in their semi-natural habitats and urged UWA to use traditional names for animals and to lead efforts in restoring degraded ecosystems.

The Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Hon. Col. Tom Butime, reported that sector interventions are yielding exceptional results: 1.64 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, tourism receipts of approximately USD 1.62 billion (UGX 5.83 trillion), and over 876,000 direct tourism jobs. He noted that Uganda has transcended post-pandemic recovery and entered a paradigm of unprecedented growth, and that the country was officially declared Ebola-free on 28 July 2026.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority received the Best Sustainable Tourism Initiative Award at the 2026 Uganda Tourism Excellence Awards, recognising its conservation and community engagement work across the country’s protected areas.

The celebrations in Mbale brought together government officials, development partners, conservation agencies, tourism operators, students and the people of Eastern Uganda for a vibrant showcase of Ugandan culture, wildlife and the digital innovations reshaping the sector. Photography by Unction Photography.