Impact of Covid-19 on the tourism sector of Uganda

Abstract

The study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector of Uganda. It was guided by three objectives and these included to: examine the impact of covid-19 on foreign tourists’ arrivals and exchange earnings, analyze the impact of covid-19 on employment opportunities; suggest appropriate theoretical and managerial approaches for sustaining tourism in case similar pandemic occurs. A case study design about the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities was embraced in which quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. A sample of 182 workers was selected using purposive and random sampling techniques. Self-Administered Questionnaires and interview guide were used which indicated that COVID-19 reduced the number of foreign arrivals and foreign exchange earnings; negatively affected employees. Nonetheless, such situation would have used domestic or rural tourism as the alternatives to earnings and employment. The study concludes that an appropriate and pro-people managerial approach for sustaining tourism is embracing domestic tourism with recommendation to government to invest more resources in the rural or domestic tourism.