Economic and Statistical Analysis of Tourism in Uganda

The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and
Antiquities (MTWA) instituted a sample survey of tourists
exiting Uganda in 2012-the Tourism Expenditure and
Motivation Survey (TEMS). This survey collected data on
tourist expenditures, duration of stay, tourist activities,
sites visited, levels of satisfaction, and suggestions for
improvements in the sector. The purpose of this report is to
present the results of the economic analysis of tourist
expenditures, and the associated statistical analysis, to
inform government decisions on how to increase the
contribution that tourism makes to the growth of the Ugandan
economy. The economic analysis of tourism based on the TEMS
survey focuses on the impact of tourist expenditures on the
economy. The scope is therefore limited to the impact of
tourism exports, but these exports are important
contributors to the development of the Ugandan economy,
increasing foreign exchange earnings, and improving the
balance of payments. The data show that leisure and cultural
tourists spend 30 percent to 100 percent more than other
types of tourists per visit to Uganda. This substantial
difference in spending makes these tourists an attractive
target in government efforts to increase the economic
contribution of the tourism sector and reinforces the
importance of strengthening the marketing of Ugandan
tourism. The TEMS survey estimates that roughly 500,000
foreign tourists spent at least one night in Uganda in 2012,
and nearly 75,000 of these were leisure or cultural
tourists. In 2013 more than one million nonresidents visited
Uganda, and it is estimated that about half of them of them
stay at least one night. Tourists' overall satisfaction
with their trip to Uganda is high. However, local transport
in Uganda and insufficient visitor information are the most
frequently cited sources of dissatisfaction and suggested
areas for improvement.