Africa-Press – Uganda. Private sector Chief Executive Officers under the Presidential CEO Forum (PCF) are calling on President Museveni to make routine visits to Uganda’s tourism sites as a way to promote the country’s tourism industry.
The request came during the closing of the sixth bi‐annual Private Sector CEO Retreat in Fort Portal City, held as part of Uganda’s World Tourism Day celebrations.
Boniface Byamukama, a tour operator, said visits by the President to national parks and tourist destinations could enhance destination visibility and instill greater confidence in the sector.
“Other heads of state in the region do it. If the president leads by example, it will boost destination visibility and confidence in the sector,” he said.
The CEOs also presented a six‐point demand document to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. Emmanuel Katongole, the group chairman, said that while Uganda has great tourism potential, challenges such as poor road networks, weak aerodrome infrastructure, expensive financing, and lack of strong support for tested private investors must be addressed.
He also noted that the ban on Facebook has negatively affected the sector, limiting communication with potential tourists. “With it closed, young people have resorted to VPNs… we have a law to punish abusers, but let us not punish the whole country,” he said.
Katongole described how bad roads made travel to Fort Portal extremely difficult and urged the government to prioritise road works leading to key tourist sites.
He also called for better facilities for domestic air connectivity, noting that tourists arriving at Entebbe should have more flight options to national parks rather than relying only on roads.
International travel advisories, which portray Uganda as unstable, were also highlighted as a deterrent to potential tourists.
Filmmaker and producer Matthew Nabwiso called for clearer creative policies, training centers, and dedicated funds for content creation.
“Uganda’s artists compete globally with very limited resources. With government support, the creative industry can create jobs, promote culture, and even attract tourists,” he said.
He argued that the creative industry’s work more closely aligns with tourism than with gender issues, as it is about showcasing Uganda.
Prime Minister Nabbanja pledged she will present the resolutions to the President, saying the proposals are “very pertinent.”
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