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Uganda drops six places in latest Tourism Competitiveness Index rankings

Brainstorming on tourism. UTB boss Ajarova (right) talks to Amos Wekesa, a leading sector player. FACEBOOK PHOTO

❇ TTCI Rankings 2019

❇ In 2015  114
❇ In 2017 106
❇ In 2019 112
👉Visitor arrivals 1,402,400
👉 Inbound receipts $937.3 million
👉Receipts per arrival $668

Top African countries
🇲🇺 Mauritius 54
🇿🇦 South Africa 61
🇸🇨 Seycheles 62
🇪🇬 Egypt 65
🇲🇦 Morocco 66
🇳🇦 Namibia 81
🇰🇪 Kenya 82
🇹🇳 Tunisia 85
****
🇺🇬 Uganda 112

Kampala, Uganda | LOUIS JADWONG | Uganda has dropped six places in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) released recently by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

According to the WEF’s travel and tourism ranking report, Uganda’s tourism sector is now ranked 112 in the TTCI from a previous index ranking of 106 in 2017. Uganda was 114th in 2015. (click for full rankings)

The report showed that Uganda continues to struggle to make an impact in three key areas of ICT readiness, hygiene and health, tourist service infrastructure and air transport service infrastructure.

One of the top ranked in Africa Seychelles is riding on the ICT sector. Mobile subscription density is (4th) and above regional average fixed (57th) and mobile (60th) internet subscriptions.

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has recently got a new head, Lilly Ajarova while Uganda Airlines is back in the sky, which should boost Uganda’s ranking in the next two years.

The new Chief Executive Officer, Lilly Ajarova and Deputy Bradford Ochieng assumed office early this year.

Ajarova, who replaces Stephen Asiimwe, was until recently the Executive Director at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Ochieng who replaces John Ssempebwa was the Director of Corporate Affairs at Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA).

The return of Uganda Airlines is expected to change the country’s tourism fortunes for the better. FILE PHOTO AFP

Ajarova feels the opportunity presented a good challenge given that it offered the enviable task of getting Uganda onto the next level by “creating a clear path on how to get there.”

She told  VisitUganda.com that “This is a very exciting opportunity given that we have the chance to network and lobby the right people to make sure that our sector moves forward. My focus is to have a clear plan on how to promote Uganda’s tourism industry. We shall review and update existing plans so that there is clear direction on where we want to reach as an industry.”

Ajarova says her priority will be the establishment of a national brand identity for Uganda.

World rankings

France, Spain and Germany are at the top, ranked 1, 2 and 3 in the world, while the top African country is Mauritius at 54.

They are followed by South Africa at 61, Seychelles 62, Egypt 65, Morocco 66, Namibia 81, Kenya 82, Tunisia 85, Uganda 112.

RELATED ANALYSIS

The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2019 edition states that, “While the region has improved since the 2017 edition of the report, Sub-Saharan Africa ranks at the bottom of the TTCI, lagging behind the rest of the world across all pillars, with only Mauritius, South Africa and Seychelles
scoring above the global average on the index.”

It however notes that, “At the same time, however, the region continues to outpace the global average in international tourism arrivals and receipts growth: the World Travel and Tourism Council forecasts Africa economies covered by this year’s TTCI to have the second highest rate of growth in T&T GDP in
the ten years from 2019–2029. As a result, if the region manages to pick up the pace of improvement, investors will be more likely view the region as an attractive investment opportunity to diversify away from more mature markets.”

The report states that travel & tourism (T&T) industry plays a vital role in the global economy and community. In 2018, the industry helped generate 10.4% of world GDP and a similar share of
employment, and has shown enormous resilience over the last decade.

Uganda Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2019 Edition by The Independent Magazine on Scribd

 

5 comments

  1. New management at UTB has not changed anything. The airport is still a mess and most of our local tour companies cannot compete with other African countries. Who are we kidding? Uganda Airlines will never make money. We are going down while others are growing much faster. Enough with the fake news.

  2. Have faith in Uganda Tourism. Amos Wekesa has a plan and believe him. Uganda will be number one tourism country in all of Africa.

  3. We need to improve and since we have new players who are also in business, things are improving for the better though we need to work as a team than as individuals. Amos, UTB and others are doing a lot and let us market Uganda on social media platforms as well but must be positive.

  4. Simon, as a local tourism company I feel like we are not one team but an organization of several competing teams. No one at UTB is doing anything to bring the team together.we have no marketing help and rarely do we ever hear from anyone at UTB. And when we do there is no substance. Last minute meetings with no relevance. Amos is a nice man but be is not Jesus of tourism . God save Uganda.

  5. Amos Wekesa deserves all credit for Uganda Tourism. He is biggest tourism and hotel owner in Uganda and must trust him.

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