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As part of efforts to boost tourism, government of Uganda intends to refurbish four airstrips across the nation. By using the airstrips, travelers won’t have to go through Entebbe International Airport to reach their vacation destinations. This directive was given by President Museveni to the Minister of Works and Transport and his tourism counterpart during a cabinet meeting.

This was revealed by the Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Tom Butiime while officiating the seventh edition of the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo – POATE in Munyonyo, Kampala.

Tom Butiime asked the various tourism sector companies, particularly in the hotel industry, to uphold the established East African standards for their services and facilities, if they are to resume their pre-Covid growth rates.

Kasese, Kidepo Pakuba, and Kisoro are the airstrips that will be specifically targeted for remodeling. They will be paved and coded so that visitors flying in private planes may access the tourist attractions near the airstrips.

According to Butiime, the airports will feature immigration checkpoints to make it simple for travelers from Dubai or Frankfurt to reach these locations. He referred to this action as a game-changer for the travel industry.

This order comes after the budget for the fiscal year 2023–2024 was revised from Shs89.2 billion to Shs214 billion. David Migereko, the chair of the Uganda Tourism Board, praised the system of providing a single tourist visa among all of East Africa’s nations, claiming it has completely changed the local tourism sector.

African tourists made up 70% of visitors after the pandemic, according to Lilly Ajarova, CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board.