The President of the National Tourism Events Organizers Federation (NTEOF), Sebulime Peter, also known as Demo Riley, has called for the prioritization of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE) as a key pillar in Uganda’s tourism growth strategy.
This follows his participation in a high-level consultation meeting convened by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities as part of the ongoing review of the National Tourism Development Master Plan and the Tourism Act.
During the engagement, Demo emphasized the critical role tourism events play in driving visitor numbers, investment, and destination visibility. He urged policymakers to formally recognize and integrate the MICE sector into the Tourism Act to unlock its full economic potential.
“The MICE and tourism events sector is a powerful driver of tourism growth, job creation, and international positioning. Its inclusion in the Tourism Act will provide the structure and support needed to scale its impact,” he noted.
He also highlighted key challenges affecting event organizers in Uganda, including limited access to affordable financing, high costs associated with security, and the burden of the 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed on event tickets.
As part of its formal submission, NTEOF proposed two key additions to the Tourism Act: the regulation and formal recognition of the MICE sector, and the establishment of subvention funds to support tourism events and industry development.
According to the federation, these measures will strengthen the competitiveness of Uganda’s tourism offering and enhance the contribution of events to the national economy.
NTEOF expressed appreciation to the Ministry for the inclusive consultation process and reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with government and stakeholders to advance a more structured and thriving tourism events ecosystem.
Sebulime concluded by emphasizing that strategic investment and policy support for tourism events will position Uganda as a leading MICE destination in the region.
