Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Uganda
Uganda: Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes was 384,700 trips in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Uganda, 1997–2021
Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in trips.
Analysis
In 2021, arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Uganda stood at 384,700 trips.
That represents a change of up 126.0% on the previous year and down 61.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Uganda peaked at 1.07 million trips in 2018 and was at its lowest, 131,000 trips, in 1997.
Uganda ranks 107th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Uganda, year by year
| Year | trips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 131,000 trips | — |
| 1998 | 152,000 trips | +16.0% |
| 1999 | 142,000 trips | -6.6% |
| 2000 | 139,000 trips | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 152,000 trips | +9.4% |
| 2002 | 195,000 trips | +28.3% |
| 2003 | 238,000 trips | +22.1% |
| 2004 | 431,000 trips | +81.1% |
| 2005 | 437,000 trips | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 466,000 trips | +6.6% |
| 2007 | 532,000 trips | +14.2% |
| 2008 | 681,000 trips | +28.0% |
| 2009 | 640,000 trips | -6.0% |
| 2010 | 762,000 trips | +19.1% |
| 2011 | 991,000 trips | +30.1% |
| 2012 | 987,000 trips | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 910,000 trips | -7.8% |
| 2014 | 994,500 trips | +9.3% |
| 2015 | 980,800 trips | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 1.03 million trips | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 910,200 trips | -11.9% |
| 2018 | 1.07 million trips | +18.0% |
| 2019 | 911,700 trips | -15.1% |
| 2020 | 170,200 trips | -81.3% |
| 2021 | 384,700 trips | +126.0% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 384,700 trips is above the median for low income countries, which is 166,350 trips, 2.3× the median. (18 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 384,700 trips is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 228,750 trips, 1.7× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Uganda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +126.0% | 170,200 trips | 384,700 trips |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 141,667 trips | 131,000 trips | 152,000 trips | 3 |
| 2000s | 391,100 trips | 139,000 trips | 681,000 trips | 10 |
| 2010s | 955,340 trips | 762,000 trips | 1.07 million trips | 10 |
| 2020s | 277,450 trips | 170,200 trips | 384,700 trips | 2 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More reference data data for Uganda
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4214 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 29.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 42.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.29 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Uganda?
- Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Uganda was 384,700 trips in 2021, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 1.07 million trips in 2018.
- What is the lowest arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 131,000 trips in 1997.
- How does Uganda rank for arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes?
- Uganda ranks 107th out of 179 countries with data for 2021.
- Is arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda data come from?
- The figures come from UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of international trips where the main purpose is personal (leisure, visiting friends and relatives, health, etc.) and the visitor stays overnight.