The construction of high quality accommodation facilities, operating tour and travel circuits and the development of specialised community and ecotourism facilities have become priorities for the Ugandan Investment Authority.

Uganda enjoys a favourable location along the equator in the heart of the Sub-Saharan Africa making this destination a great place for regional trade and investment. Steadily growing tourist numbers are estimated to have reached 1.5 million per year, contributing 7.7% to GDP.

According to Uganda's Investment Profile for the tourism sector, the number of projects approved in this area has been growing and in 2019 a total of 391 projects were licensed under Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), of which 198 were locally owned and 121 were foreign owned projects. These projects plan to invest US$1.2 billion and employ a total of 25,310 people.

The destination is currently showing a fast-growing tourism and it offers a huge diversity of experiences and attractions. Some of those experiences include bird watching, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park or watching gorillas in Bwindi, which has the 54% of the remaining world mountain gorilla population. You could also visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary or the outstanding Murchison Falls, one of the most fantastic natural attractions in the country. It is also home to 11% of the world's bird species (a total of 1,060 bird species).

It is top priority for Ugandans to improve their facilities and tackle the 50% shortage of beds in the national parks during the high tourism season. Therefore, the government is investing 3,000,000 US dollars to construct 100 high end cottages for tourist accommodation. The project seeks to address bed shortage in Bwindi, Mgahinga, Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori, Semuliki, Kibale, Elgon, Murchison falls, Kidepo & Lake Mburo.

The wide range of investment opportunities cover the diverse offering of the destination, from Marine Tourism to opportunities to invest in Conferences & Events Tourism (MICE), Equator Zone Development, Uganda's national parks and hotel developments.

The source of the Nile in Jinja is undertaking another major improvement. The project is meant to build infrastructure around the source of the Nile such as public infrastructure (beautified), cultural centres, entertainment facilities, hotel and recreation, water activities, zip lines, information centre, monuments and floating restaurants, alongside an improved golf already in existence for socio- economic benefits. The investment reaches the amount of around 150 million US dollars.

Uganda offers huge opportunities for investors in different national parks. From luxury hotels, cottages to house boats, the destination holds a wide range of options for those who are willing to increase and diversify eco-tourism products in this country. Part of the recent investments include the creation of more bicycle tours, air balloon travel, marine activities on Lake Victoria and river rafting on the Nile River.

The government is also offering incentives to encourage investors towards the already diverse investment offerings in the region. According to official documents, the incentive regime is structurally embedded in the country's tax laws which make them non-discriminatory and accessible to both domestic and foreign investment depending on the sector and level of investment. The government continuously makes reviews annually on these incentives to make the investment climate more attractive for potential investors.

In order to boost business, lots of items are exempted from all taxes under the fifth schedule of the East African Community Customs Management Act (2004). The list of these items include motor cars for transportation of tourists, gymnasium equipment, sightseeing buses, tourism boats, furniture, amongst others.

For more information on the status of concessions and the above investment opportunities, please contact the Uganda Wildlife Authority at www.ugandawildlife.org/

About Uganda

Known as the "Pearl of Africa," Uganda is located in East Africa and offers some of the continent's most diverse wildlife viewing, dramatic landscapes, and immersive cultural experiences and warm people and hospitality. Uganda is home to more than half the world's population of endangered mountain gorillas, and trekking to observe these gentle giants in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the world's top bucket list travel activities. Safari opportunities abound in savanna, forest, and wetland settings throughout 10 national parks, where visitors can come face to face with "The Big Five + 2" – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, chimpanzee and mountain gorilla– as well as giraffe, zebra, hippopotamus, crocodile, and more than half of all bird species found in Africa. Among Uganda's extraordinary natural attractions are the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains; expansive Lake Victoria, which forms the source of the Nile River; and Murchison Falls National Park. For more information, please visit: www.visituganda.com

About Uganda Tourism Board

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) is the official Government destination market organization with the responsibility to promote and market Uganda as the preferred tourism destination in Africa. In this UTB works with other government agencies and the private business operators in the tourism sector. UTB does not run private tours, but represents the tourism industry players and promotes all for the public benefit. UTB regulates both the travel and tour businesses, and the commercial accommodations in Uganda. It is tasked with the inspection of all tourist services and facilities in order to ensure conformity with international standards.

About AVIAREPS 

Founded in Germany in 1994 with an extensive office network that spans all six inhabited continents with 67 self-owned offices across 48 countries, the AVIAREPS Group is the world's leading airline and tourism representation company with over 100 airlines and more than 150 tourism, hospitality, retail and trade promotion clients in its portfolio. In addition to providing well-established passenger General Sales Agent (GSA) services and tourism marketing representation, clients are also offered expertise and services in digital marketing, public relations, advertising, IT solutions, consulting, financial services, airport marketing, and trade & retail promotion.

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