The National Tourism Events Organizers Federation (NTEOF) has urged the government to address growing challenges affecting Uganda’s tourism events industry, citing high security deployment costs, limited access to affordable financing, and the 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) on event tickets as major constraints.
NTEOF President Demo Riley said tourism events play a significant role in promoting tourism, creating jobs, supporting businesses, and contributing to economic growth, but organizers continue to operate under difficult conditions.
“Our major challenges are high security costs, limited access to affordable financing, and the 18% VAT on tickets. We need government intervention to make the sector sustainable,” Riley said.
He explained that in addition to mandatory security fees, event organizers are often required to spend between Shs80 million and Shs100 million on security deployment, a cost he said makes many tourism events financially unsustainable.
Riley also highlighted the financing challenges faced by organizers, saying many are forced to rely on expensive loans to fund events while waiting for months to receive sponsorship payments and Local Purchase Order (LPO) settlements.
NTEOF is also calling for tax relief on event tickets, arguing that tourism events generate additional government revenue through sectors such as accommodation, transport, hospitality, and other related services.
The federation said the rising cost of organizing events has forced some players to reduce their operations or leave the industry altogether. Similar concerns have previously been raised by prominent event organizers, including Douglas Lwanga, Patrick Salvado Idringi, and Amos Wekesa.
“As a federation, we must continue engaging government to find lasting solutions. Tourism events drive visitor arrivals, create jobs, support small and medium enterprises, and market Uganda to the world. The industry deserves the support needed to thrive,” Riley said.
NTEOF said addressing these challenges would help strengthen Uganda’s events sector and enhance its contribution to tourism growth and the wider economy.