URA Joins the Country in Celebrating World Tourism Day, Highlights Tourism’s Role in Uganda’s Growth

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has joined the country in commemorating World Tourism Day, using the occasion to highlight the contribution of tourism to economic development while showcasing the institution’s history and transformation over the years.

Tourism remains an important part of the global economy, contributing between 9.8 and 10 percent of global GDP and generating approximately USD 11.6 trillion worldwide. The sector creates employment, supports businesses and opens up opportunities for communities that depend on tourism-related activities.For Uganda, URA recognises tourism as an important source of jobs, business opportunities and tax revenue.

The authority said the sector plays a key role in connecting Uganda to the international community while contributing to the country’s broader economic development.During the commemoration, URA also used its museum to exhibit aspects of its institutional history. The exhibition highlighted the authority’s journey since its establishment in 1991 and showed how revenue administration has changed from largely manual operations to increasingly digital systems.The museum exhibition provided visitors with an opportunity to see how technology has transformed the way revenue is administered. URA’s journey reflects the wider shift towards digitalisation as government institutions adopt technology to improve their services and operations.URA Commissioner General John R. Musinguzi has previously emphasised the importance of tourism-related businesses to Uganda’s economy. In a URA publication on the hotel and accommodation sector, he described the sector as “vital to Uganda’s socio-economic development.”

As technology continues to advance, URA said it is exploring ways to make its museum more interactive and accessible. The authority is considering digital archives, artificial intelligence-powered guides and virtual tours as possible ways of improving how visitors experience and learn about its institutional history.URA said the World Tourism Day commemoration provided an opportunity to reflect on both the economic value of tourism and the importance of preserving Uganda’s history. As the country continues to embrace digitalisation and artificial intelligence, the authority noted that technology can help preserve its past while creating new ways of connecting Uganda’s stories to the rest of the world.