By Mike Rwothomio 

The Ministry of Education and Sports, in partnership with Enabel Uganda, on February 24, 2026 launched a three-day strategic workshop at Nyipir & Labongo Hotel in Pakwach Town Council, Pakwach District, strategically located opposite the iconic Murchison Falls National Park.

The event brings together tourism officers, key stakeholders, and representatives from cultural institutions to explore the immense potential of the tourism and hospitality sector in the West Nile region.

Central to discussions is the sector's capacity to generate sustainable employment opportunities for youth, alongside broader economic development.

Participants are actively developing a comprehensive draft document profiling untapped and emerging tourism sites across all West Nile districts.

Under expert guidance, they will outline a detailed roadmap for site development, emphasizing sustainable tourism practices, infrastructure enhancement, and job creation in areas such as hospitality services, guiding, cultural experiences, and eco-tourism ventures.

Ker-Alur tourism minister, Madam Juliet Umika giving significance of Wang-Lei, as Tonny Ofungi of Maleng Tours listens keenly nearby.

The workshop is also addressing critical destination marketing strategies, including:Destination branding to position West Nile as a compelling sub-region within Uganda's "Pearl of Africa" appeal, Investment attraction initiatives to draw private sector capital, Marketing and advertising approaches to boost visibility and visitor inflows.

The Alur Kingdom is prominently represented by Hon. Juliet Umika Oromcan, Minister of Tourism & Hospitality in the Kingdom and Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) Pakuba Airfield Supervisor within Murchison Falls National Park.

Enabel Uganda, the Belgian Agency for Development Cooperation facilitating the workshop, collaborates closely with the Ministry of Education on national skilling initiatives and extends support to institutional capacity building in sectors including tourism and hospitality through bilateral cooperation with the Government of Uganda.

Uganda's tourism sector continues to demonstrate robust recovery and economic significance. In 2024, the industry achieved record international tourism receipts of approximately USD 1.28 billion (a 25.9% increase from USD 1.025 billion in 2023), contributing around 6.6% to national GDP and supporting over 800,000 direct jobs which is approximately 7.2% of total employment.

With proximity to Murchison Falls National Park, one of Uganda's premier wildlife destinations attracting visitors for game drives, Nile cruises, and biodiversity experiences, the West Nile region's untapped tourism assets hold strong promise for community-based tourism, cultural heritage promotion, and inclusive youth employment.

According to the stakeholders, the workshop outcomes are expected to inform targeted interventions that align with national goals to elevate tourism's contribution to GDP, foreign exchange inflows, and job creation across Uganda.

Group photo of the stakeholders at the workshop.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at zoomer Africa your number one grassroot information hub