Uganda received about 814,508 international visitors in 2022, up 59% year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

The number of tourist arrivals fell 47.8 percent to 473,085 in 2021, compared to nearly 1.5 million pre-Covid-19, The Monitor newspaper reported, citing ministry data.

Tourism earnings reached nearly 2.7 trillion shillings ($712.6 million), representing 12.2% of total exports and 41.4% of service exports.

Accommodation, food and beverages, passenger transport and shopping took the largest share of inbound expenditure, which stood at a combined 68.8 percent share.

The report said international tourists stayed for an average of 7.6 nights in the country resulting in 6.5 million bed nights.  

Africa remained the largest source of tourists, contributing at least 87.8 percent of international arrivals, followed by Asia and Europe.

(Editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@lseg.com)