The tourism industry in Uganda is suffering massive losses amid fears surrounding the Ebola outbreak, as tour operators report a sharp drop in bookings, widespread cancellations and major revenue losses.
Uganda's confirmed Ebola cases have risen to nine, including one death, the country's Ministry of Health said on Friday.
Uganda declared its latest Ebola outbreak on May 15 after confirming an imported case involving a Congolese national who had traveled from the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicenter of the current regional outbreak, to seek treatment in Uganda.
Industrial insiders said the Ebola outbreak is scaring tourists away and hitting the local economy hard.
"The news of the outbreak came, many have canceled; they no longer want to come to Uganda. So there's a lot of panic. We don't know whether the Uganda Wildlife Authority will refund the money because permits have already been purchased or whether this tourist will consider maybe rescheduling this permit, maybe think coming later in the year," said Matilda Iremera, CEO of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators.
Strict travel advisories from countries like the U.S., UK and Canada – from where most tourists to Uganda come -- are worsening the situation for the industry.
The drop in visitor numbers is directly affecting local businesses such as craft shops. Souvenir vendors are struggling to keep their businesses afloat due to severe revenue losses.
"At least before, we used to get customers coming to buy our products, but as soon as news about Ebola spread, everything changed. If even we as Ugandans are scared of Ebola and how quickly it kills, then what about people from other countries? Honestly, this is affecting us badly. Customers are no longer coming. We sit here all day, and by the end of it, we've not seen a single buyer," said local artist Denis Mutaaya.
Uganda receives nearly 1.6 million international visitors every year. The sector has recorded significant growth in recent years, with tourist revenues surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
Tourism is one of Uganda's top revenue earners, bringing in about 2.5 billion U.S. dollars annually. However, insiders said the economic risks associated with the Ebola outbreak may not be as severe as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think the recovery won't be really as hard as it was with COVID, because you can see from the time the news came out about Ebola, it has really been managed well," said Iremera.
Ebola outbreak takes toll on tourism industry in Uganda
