Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
65
significant income for local communities, leading to significant deforestation up to the late
1980s. Since 1991, tourism has provided an alternative direct economic value, contributing
significant funds towards its existence in terms of conservation, and a share of revenue for
communities190, albeit it currently less significant to former years of gold mining and lumbering.
Tourism in Uganda began in the 1950s and by the 1970s it was their third largest foreign
exchange earner, however during 1971-1986 the severe political instability of the country led
to the decline in the tourism industry. During this time, the wildlife areas were also heavily
poached and most tourism infrastructure, such as hotels, was destroyed as the sector was
neglected. Political peace came to most of the country in 1987 and the tourism industry began
its revamp. It is now one of the fastest-growing sectors of Uganda’s economy.191 Tourism is
hinged on the country’s precious wildlife resources, and the wildlife resources are also hinged
on tourism for their existence, their contribution to the country’s economic development and
overall sustainability of their natural environment. Sustainable tourism development is
fundamental for Uganda, and without preserving the country’s ecosystems, tourism would
disappear. Improved conservation initiatives and efforts over the last 15 years or so has enabled
populations of key wildlife species to have grown, and the tourism infrastructure to develop
around that. Uganda is an interesting case because whilst it may be underperforming in terms
of visitor numbers, product development and quality of service delivery compared to some of
its neighbors, it is in many ways a success story for integrating nature-based tourism and
sustainable conservation.
Destination Tourism Sustainability Development
Destination Governance
Tourism in Uganda began in the 1950s, and by the 1970s it was the country’s third largest
foreign exchange earner. However, the troublesome political times of 1971-1986 caused the
tourism industry to plummet. Today tourism has found its feet again and the Uganda Tourism
Board (UTB) is the DMO established by the Uganda Tourist Board Statute 115 in 1994 to manage
this growth. Since June 2011, Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry which sits above
UTB, separated into the Independent Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and the
Ministry of Trade and Industry to ensure tourism was targeted as a core sector of the economy
again.192
The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) was established in 1994. According to the Tourism Act
(2008), UTB's mandate is to promote and popularize Uganda as a viable holiday destination both
locally and internationally in order to increase the contribution of tourism earnings to GDP,
improve Uganda's competitiveness as an international tourism destination, and increase
Uganda's share in the African and World tourism market. The strategic goals highlighted in the
national development plan aim for the tourism sector to achieve wider development objectives
including: decentralization of tourism sector responsibilities to lower local levels, institutional
190 Uganda Wildlife Authority. (n.d.). BINP general management plan 2014 – 2024. Retrieved from
2023.pdf.
191 Uganda Tourism Board. (n.d.). Visit Uganda. Retrieved from
192 International Trade Centre. (2011). Uganda inclusive tourism. Retrieved
content/uploads/2014/12/ITC_Opportunity_study_Uganda.pdf.