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The Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Colonel Tom Butime, has expressed concern over the recent negative publicity surrounding Uganda Airlines, warning that the controversy is already affecting Uganda’s tourism sector.
Speaking at the opening of a three-day top management retreat in Jinja, Butime urged leaders and the public to handle matters concerning the national carrier responsibly, stressing that aviation is intrinsically linked to tourism performance and national image.
“Air travel is sensitive. The negative publicity on Uganda Airlines doesn’t help the tourist industry. If you observe the bookings, they may have declined sharply,” Butime said.
He added that while the setback is regrettable, he hopes it will be short-lived and decisively addressed.
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The retreat, convened by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA), has brought together top management and heads of its line agencies.
It is being held at Crested Crane Hotel under the theme: “Reflecting, Transforming and Aligning for Competitive Tourism Destinations.”
According to ministry officials, the meeting aims to review sector performance, strengthen institutional alignment, and develop strategic interventions to enhance Uganda’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.
Butime emphasized the need for stability and professionalism in managing public institutions, arguing that leadership transitions should not trigger public uproar.
“For me, Chief Executive Officers’ contracts come into being and end. There is no hullabaloo. At the Uganda Tourism Board, the CEO completed her contract and we got another one smoothly. At Uganda Wildlife Authority, someone served diligently, his term ended, and we appointed a new Executive Director — and all is quiet,” he said, suggesting that the airline’s leadership issues should be handled similarly.
Despite the current challenges, Butime noted that Uganda’s tourism industry has registered significant recovery and growth in recent years.
“For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic period, the tourism sector surpassed pre-pandemic numbers in 2025,” he said, describing the milestone as evidence of resilience and effective sectoral interventions.
Tourism remains one of Uganda’s strategic economic pillars under the National Development Plan, contributing substantially to foreign exchange earnings, employment, and investment inflows.
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Doreen Katusiime, Permanent Secretary at MTWA, emphasized that the government has prioritized tourism as one of the country’s economic “ATMs,” calling for deliberate planning and strategic coordination across institutions.
“Government made tourism one of the strategic sectors. We must plan and strategise to ensure sustained growth and competitiveness,” Katusiime said.
Officials said the three-day retreat will focus on assessing progress against set targets, identifying policy and operational gaps, and harmonizing sector activities with broader national development priorities.
The deliberations are expected to produce a renewed strategic roadmap aimed at strengthening destination marketing, improving service delivery standards, enhancing conservation efforts, and leveraging air connectivity to drive tourist arrivals.
As Uganda positions itself as a competitive regional tourism hub, sector leaders maintain that safeguarding the country’s reputation — particularly in sensitive areas such as aviation — remains critical to sustaining growth momentum.
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