KAMPALA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Uganda is positioning digital innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) as drivers of tourism growth, President Yoweri Museveni said Sunday as the country marked World Tourism Day.
Museveni made the remarks while presiding over a national World Tourism Day commemoration held in the eastern district of Mbale.
He said the competitiveness of the tourism industry will depend on how effectively it uses digital technologies.
"A tourist today wants to discover a destination online, compare experiences, communicate with operators, make bookings, navigate easily and share the experience instantly," Museveni said. "Uganda must therefore ensure that our tourism businesses are visible and competitive in the digital marketplace."
AI can assist us in destination marketing, visitor information, product development, customer engagement, conservation management and understanding visitor behavior, the president noted.
Tom Butime, minister of tourism, wildlife and antiquities, said AI provides industry players with new tools to understand markets, personalize promotions, improve visitor experiences, support conservation and connect tourists directly with local businesses.
Butime said the global visibility generated through AI and digital innovation must now be translated into actual tourism arrivals and revenue.
"We must convert impressions into enquiries; enquiries into bookings; bookings into arrivals; arrivals into longer stays; and longer stays into greater tourism receipts," the minister said.
He said previous digital campaigns, such as Explore Uganda, had demonstrated the country's ability to generate significant global visibility for its tourism sector.
Uganda has moved beyond post-pandemic recovery and entered a period of strong tourism growth, Butime said.
The country recorded a record 1.64 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, representing a 19.7-percent increase compared with previous baseline periods, according to the ministry.
The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities said the sector contributes 5.9 percent to Uganda's gross domestic product and directly supports more than 876,000 jobs nationwide, with women and young people accounting for a significant share of employment. ■