Anita Rukundo Tayebwa, the newly appointed honorary consul of The Bahamas to Uganda, has vowed to enhance ties between the two countries' tourism sectors. This move is expected to help Uganda tap into The Bahamas' experience in attracting international visitors and generating significant tourism revenue. Tayebwa made these remarks after presenting her letters of credence to Uganda's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Amb. Adonia Ayebare, in Kampala.
The Bahamas boasts a thriving tourism sector, with over 12 million international visitors in 2025, compared to Uganda's 1.6 million visitors during the same period. In terms of tourism receipts, The Bahamas generated approximately $5.27 billion, while Uganda earned an estimated $1.62 billion. These figures highlight the potential for Uganda to learn from The Bahamas' successful tourism strategies and strengthen its international tourism marketing.
Tayebwa identified several areas where Uganda can benefit from The Bahamas' expertise, including destination marketing, hospitality and resort development, visitor experience management, international tourism investment, branding, and promotion. She also emphasized the importance of linking tourism industry players and government agencies in both countries to develop complementary tourism packages showcasing the unique attractions of each nation.
To achieve this goal, Tayebwa's office will focus on facilitating partnerships and knowledge exchange between Ugandan tour operators and their Bahamian counterparts. This will enable the development of joint tourism packages that highlight the distinct attractions of both countries, such as Uganda's mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, and The Bahamas' beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters.
Uganda's Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, expressed his excitement about his wife's appointment, emphasizing the importance of men supporting their spouses in their professional endeavors. He noted that Tayebwa had shared her vision for helping Ugandan tourism operators attract high-spending tourists by leveraging the country's unique attractions.
Other stakeholders, including prominent tourism investor Amos Wekesa and King Ceasar Mulenga, the Honorary Consul of Vietnam to Uganda, welcomed Tayebwa's appointment. They believe she can help Uganda unlock its tourism potential, particularly in the water-based tourism sector, and strengthen trade and people-to-people bilateral ties between Uganda and The Bahamas.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Amb. Adonia Ayebare, expressed confidence in Tayebwa's ability to tap into The Bahamas' best practices and benefit Uganda. With Tayebwa's representation, Uganda aims to bridge the gap between the two nations' tourism sectors and attract more international visitors to the country.
Key points
- Tayebwa aims to link Uganda and The Bahamas' tourism sectors to help Uganda benefit from The Bahamas' experience in attracting international visitors and generating tourism revenue.
- The Bahamas attracted over 12 million international visitors in 2025, generating $5.27 billion in tourism receipts, compared to Uganda's 1.6 million visitors and $1.62 billion in receipts.
- Tayebwa's office will focus on facilitating partnerships and knowledge exchange between Ugandan and Bahamian tour operators to develop joint tourism packages.
