Anita Rukundo Tayebwa, the newly appointed Honorary Consul of The Bahamas to Uganda, has pledged to promote tourism cooperation between the two countries. She presented her credentials to Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare in Kampala on Thursday evening. Rukundo aims to attract high-spending visitors and increase Uganda's tourism earnings. She identified areas where Uganda can learn from The Bahamas, including destination marketing, hospitality, and resort development.
The Bahamas attracts significantly more international visitors and earns more from tourism compared to Uganda. According to Rukundo, The Bahamas received over 12 million international visitors in 2025, earning $5.27 billion in tourism receipts. In contrast, Uganda received approximately 1.6 million visitors, earning an estimated $1.62 billion. Rukundo stated that Uganda needs to improve its international marketing of tourism attractions, particularly to high-spending visitors.
Rukundo plans to work with tour operators and government agencies in both countries to develop tourism packages that allow visitors to experience attractions in Uganda and The Bahamas. She aims to bridge the gap between the two countries' tourism industries. With the ministry's support, Rukundo is confident that she can achieve this goal. She also hopes to attract more people to visit Uganda.
Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare welcomed Rukundo's appointment and urged her to identify best practices that can help Uganda improve its tourism performance. Ayebare noted that the figures speak for themselves and that Uganda will benefit immensely from Rukundo's representation. He expressed confidence in her ability to tap into The Bahamas' successful tourism practices.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa expressed confidence in his wife's ability to deliver, citing her experience in managing family businesses. Tayebwa noted that Rukundo had previously expressed interest in helping Ugandan tour operators attract wealthy international visitors. He highlighted The Bahamas' unique tourism industry, which attracts both large numbers of visitors and high-value tourists.
Tourism investor Amos Wekesa urged Rukundo to focus on water-based tourism, arguing that Uganda has yet to fully exploit the tourism potential of Lake Victoria and its other water bodies. Wekesa believes that Uganda can earn more from tourism by investing in facilities and activities that attract visitors to its lakes and rivers. This could be a key area for Rukundo to explore in her new role.
King Ceasar Mulenga, the Honorary Consul of Vietnam to Uganda, welcomed Rukundo's appointment, saying it presents an opportunity to strengthen trade and relations between the two Commonwealth countries. Mulenga expressed confidence that Rukundo will strengthen trade and people-to-people bilateral ties between Uganda and The Bahamas.
Key points
- Anita Rukundo Tayebwa aims to boost tourism cooperation between Uganda and The Bahamas.
- The Bahamas attracts significantly more international visitors and earns more from tourism compared to Uganda.
- Rukundo plans to work with tour operators and government agencies to develop tourism packages for visitors to experience attractions in both countries.
