RAY OF HOPE: Tourism sector on the mend as bookings triple in first quarter of 2021 Government, working with the private sector and development partners, undertakes initiatives to revive the COVID-hit sector

Before the emergence of COVID-19, tourism was the leading foreign exchange earner for Uganda, generating US$1.6 Billion in annual foreign exchange earnings, creating 536,600 direct jobs, and bringing in 1,542,620 foreign visitors as of 2019. According to a study conducted by the Tourism Ministry, the sector was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Annual foreign exchange earnings dropped by 73% to US$0.5 Billion while foreign visitors dropped by 69.3% to 473,085. Employment opportunities also dropped by 70% to 160,980.  As of June 2020, hotel occupancy rates dropped from an average of 58% to as low as 5% with over 75%…