Ugandan Tourism Operator Appeals to Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Over Travel Advisory Crisis

A Ugandan tourism operator has appealed to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to intervene in what he describes as the growing economic damage caused by international health-related travel advisories targeting Uganda.

Akampurira Rodgers, a tourism operator and travel specialist, made the appeal through a detailed message shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, where he expressed concern over the impact of global publicity surrounding disease outbreaks such as Ebola, Marburg, and COVID-19 on Uganda’s tourism industry.

In his statement, Rodgers praised the Ugandan government for its strong response systems in handling security and public health emergencies, saying the country has earned recognition across Africa for responding to crises with discipline and coordination.

However, he warned that every outbreak announcement and foreign travel advisory often results in panic among tourists and international partners, leading to widespread cancellations and severe financial losses across the tourism sector.

According to Rodgers, tourism operators are increasingly struggling with canceled bookings, refund demands from clients, reduced safari and conference tourism, and declining confidence from international markets.

“As tourism operators, we are now facing massive booking cancellations, pressure to process refunds from hotels, airlines, permits, and transport providers, as well as financial distress among guides, drivers, hotels, and local communities dependent on tourism,” he stated.

He added that tourism remains one of Uganda’s major economic sectors, supporting thousands of jobs directly and indirectly through hospitality, transport, agriculture, entertainment, crafts, and conservation.

Rodgers argued that despite Uganda’s strong emergency response capabilities, the country continues to suffer long-term reputational damage whenever international media outlets or foreign governments issue travel advisories related to disease outbreaks.

He further claimed that neighboring countries such as Rwanda and Tanzania often continue attracting tourists during regional health scares while Uganda experiences prolonged economic setbacks.

In his appeal, Rodgers called on President Museveni to strengthen Uganda’s international public relations and crisis communication strategies to help protect the country’s tourism image.

Among the measures proposed were engaging diplomatic missions and international media for balanced reporting, supporting tourism operators affected by cancellations, and establishing a national tourism recovery framework during future outbreaks.

“We fully support disease prevention and national safety. Our concern is the long-term economic suffocation affecting ordinary Ugandans whose survival depends on tourism,” Rodgers wrote.

He also appealed for an opportunity to present detailed research and testimonies showing how repeated travel advisories continue to affect businesses, employment, and Uganda’s competitiveness in the tourism sector.

The appeal comes at a time when Uganda continues positioning itself as one of East Africa’s leading tourism destinations, with government and private sector players investing heavily in wildlife tourism, conference tourism, and international marketing campaigns.