Tourism operators in Uganda have decried the increased travel advisory issued to Uganda, stating that it affects sales and bookings of tourists.

Amos Masaba Wekesa, the founder of Great Lakes Safaris and Uganda Lodges Limited, stated during an interview that travel advisories are the major barriers to tourism, stating that a lot of bookings from tourists are cancelled immediately a travel advisory is issued on the country.

“A lot of cancellations on bookings happen, and losses are made behind the scenes when these travel advisories are issued. Most times, they are not accurate, but the tourism operators have already made terrible losses,” he noted.

On the other hand, Jan Sadek, the European Union representative in Uganda, stated that travel advisories are important for travelers to follow, stating that it’s a lifesaver for both them and their insurance companies.

“If one doesn’t follow travel advisories and something happens to them while in a place that was warned against, it could lead to not getting any compensation from their insurance companies. It is also good for the traveler’s security,” he stated.

Travel advisories are official warning statements issued by government agencies to provide information about the relative safety of travelling or visiting one or more specific foreign countries or destinations. The purpose is to enable travelers to make an informed decision about a particular travel destination and to help travelers prepare adequately for what may be encountered on their trip.

Travel advisories can be categorized into four levels, where level 1 is exercise normal precautions, level 2 is exercise increased caution, level 3 is reconsider travel, and level 4 is do not travel.

On August 28, 2024, the United States Advisory Department issued a level 3 travel advisory on Uganda due to the spread of Mpox disease and terrorism alerts. This led to an increase in tourist cancellations.