Department of Marketing and Media Studies

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Browsing Department of Marketing and Media Studies by Author "Mulenga, Agustus Ceasor"

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    The Use of Internet in Marketing Uganda Tourism.
    (Makerere University Business School, 2025-12-22) Mulenga, Agustus Ceasor
    Uganda’s tourism sector, renowned for its rich wildlife, national parks, and cultural heritage, has increasingly adopted digital technologies over the past two decades. However, it continues to face significant challenges in fully realizing its market potential and competing globally. Online platforms especially websites and social media now play a crucial role in how tourists research, plan, and book travel, with over 60% of global travelers using digital channels, according to Statista (2024).This study investigated the role of internet technologies in marketing Uganda's tourism industry, focusing on their impact on visibility, engagement, and growth. Despite Uganda having over 24 million internet users, digital adoption within tourism remains limited fewer than 30% of licensed tourism enterprises have functional websites. Using a qualitative descriptive exploratory approach, the study gathered data from 22 stakeholders through interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. Findings show that while internet tools are widely used especially Facebook and Instagram their application is basic and uneven across the sector. Stakeholders mostly use these platforms for visual content sharing, brand awareness, and destination promotion. Larger businesses occasionally use LinkedIn for B2B purposes. However, many participants expressed doubts about the ability of these platforms to directly drive bookings and revenue, largely due to inconsistent strategies and a lack of analytics tools to measure return on investment. Key challenges identified include poor digital infrastructure, high internet and technology costs, and widespread digital skills gaps. Despite this, there are notable opportunities to enhance digital marketing by leveraging mobile technology, producing unique and engaging digital content, fostering strategic partnerships, and emphasizing Uganda’s sustainable tourism offerings. The study recommends government collaboration with telecom providers to improve digital infrastructure, the development of tourism-specific digital skills training programs, and the adoption of integrated digital marketing strategies combining websites, email, apps, and social platforms. It also highlights the need for standardized metrics to measure digital performance and encourages collaborative marketing models, especially for small operators. Future research should assess the impact of individual digital platforms on tourist behavior, track digital adoption over time, compare Uganda’s progress with regional peers, and explore emerging technologies like AI, virtual reality, and blockchain to boost global competitiveness.