Two in every 10 Ugandans are employed in tourism sector – report

At least two in every 10 Ugandans are employed in this tourism sector, the Tourism Satellite Account produced by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) shows.

According to the report, 1,059,300  (68%) females were directly employed in tourism sector in 2019.

Males are dominant in all tourism businesses, except food serving and accommodation, according to the report.

However, the reports indicates that on average, monthly pay for employees in tourism sector in 2019 was estimated at UGX 145,000 (net) and UGX. 179,000 (gross), according to the report.

Tourism also contributed 3.6% to Uganda’s GDP in 2019, according to the report. This included 2.6% to taxes on products; 2.41% total collective consumption and 19% of total investment in the economy.

Presenting the report in Kampala on Wednesday, 15 February 2023, Ms Kauda Aliziki Lubega, the Director Macroeconomics statistics at UBOS, revealed that Tourism Gross Value Added in 2019 was estimated at UGX 6.233.2 trillion. Of this, accommodation contributed 33.8% (UGX 2.1 Trillion), food and beverage services – 28.8% (UGX 1,8 Trillion), air & road transport – 27.9% (UGX 1.7Trillion).

Gross Value Added (GVA) is the value that producers have added to the goods and services they have bought. When they sell their wares, producers’ income should be more than their costs, and the difference between the two is the value they have added.

Ms Lubega said Uganda’s total Tourism Investment in 2019 is at UGX 33.8 trillion while the direct contribution for tourism was UGX 6.4 trillion.

Close to 580,000 inbound visitors (35.8 %) travelled by air through scheduled flights, the rest of inbound visitors (64.2 %) used road, according to the report.

Mr Godfrey Nabongo, Deputy Executive Director of Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) said this is the maiden Tourism Satellite Account, and second in series after the Water Satellite Account.

“Satellites enable one to see more data on ground, beyond the ordinary; they supplement statistics for economic analysis,” he explained.

Nabongo said UBOS is ensuring usability of statistics through the line of education water, energy, tourism so as to increase better appreciation.

“We have developed a compiler’s manual to guide on how these this was developed, for consultation on others. We work with the key stakeholders and we always want them to own up the findings,” he said.

Tourism Minister Tom Butime said the report will lead to better government investment in tourism sector.

“This report explores importance to invest more in Tourism.  I am taking this report to cabinet and Parliament to be discussed and know the value of Tourism. Thanks to UBOS for prioritizing the ministry’s data needs and being a good partner,” he said.

“These statistics will help ministry of Finance and Parliament to draw right estimates for the Tourism industry. Tourism contributes more than livestock, Mining, Fishing and financial services and creates over 1.6 million jobs,” he added.