KAMPALA, Uganda — The United States has maintained its highest travel warning for Uganda, months after the country brought its Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak under control, renewing concerns among tourism operators over the impact of the advisory on international bookings.
On Monday, November 9, the US State Department’s TravelGov account included Uganda in a reminder listing countries under its Level 4 travel advisory, the highest category in its four-tier travel warning system.
Other destinations mentioned included Iran, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The US advisory urges American citizens not to travel to Uganda, citing crime, health risks, terrorism and civil unrest. It also warns that Washington has limited capacity to provide emergency consular assistance to its citizens in the country.
The advisory was raised from Level 3 to Level 4 on May 17, 2026, following the outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola in the DRC and Uganda. The State Department retained the highest warning in an update issued on June 4.
However, Uganda’s health authorities subsequently declared the outbreak over on July 28, following the completion of outbreak response measures and the absence of new confirmed locally transmitted cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) formally welcomed the end of the outbreak on August 27, after 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case following the discharge of Uganda’s last patient.
Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases during the outbreak, including two deaths. Fifteen cases were imported from the DRC, while five were locally acquired among contacts and health workers linked to imported cases.
The WHO said 18 patients recovered and more than 800 contacts were identified and monitored.
Despite the outbreak’s conclusion, the US travel advisory remains in place, with its published guidance still containing Ebola-related restrictions and precautions dating from the outbreak period.
Tour operators challenge US travel warning
The continued Level 4 classification has drawn criticism from Ugandan tourism operators, who argue that the warning risks discouraging visitors and undermining the country’s efforts to attract international travellers.
Tourism entrepreneur Amos Wekesa described the decision as “very unfair”, questioning why Uganda was placed in the same advisory category as countries such as Iran and North Korea.
“America, how can uganda be at the same level as IRAN and North Korea,” Wekesa wrote on X. “VERY UNFAIR.”
Dr Arinaitwe Rugyendo also questioned the classification, pointing to Uganda’s continued appeal as a destination for international wildlife tourism.
“How is Uganda safe for the world’s rarest great apes, but too unsafe for Americans?” he asked.
In May, tour operator Rodgers Akampurira appealed to President Yoweri Museveni after reporting safari cancellations and pressure to refund clients who had already paid for accommodation, transport and tourism permits.
The Uganda Media Centre subsequently criticised the advisory, arguing that it presented a misleading picture of conditions in the country and pointing out that national parks and other tourist attractions remained open to visitors.
The operators’ concerns extend beyond tour companies. A cancelled safari can affect several businesses along a tourism supply chain, including hotels, lodges, transport providers, guides and drivers.
Uganda’s tourism industry posts strong recovery
The dispute comes as Uganda’s tourism industry reports growth in international arrivals and earnings.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the country received approximately 1.64 million international visitors in 2025, representing a 19.7 per cent increase from the previous year.
Tourism receipts rose by 21.3 per cent to approximately Shs5.83 trillion, equivalent to $1.62 billion.
The figures underline the importance of international travel markets to Uganda’s economy, particularly as the country seeks to attract more high-value visitors and expand its tourism earnings.
For operators who depend on overseas bookings, travel advisories can influence travellers’ decisions, insurance arrangements and the willingness of international tour companies to sell particular destinations.
How other countries assess travel to Uganda
The US warning also contrasts with the approach taken by some other governments, which distinguish between general travel risks across Uganda and heightened dangers in specific border areas.
Australia currently advises travellers to exercise a high degree of caution across Uganda because of terrorism, violent crime and the risk of civil unrest.
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Its guidance imposes stronger restrictions on areas near the borders with South Sudan and the DRC, including advice against travel within 50 kilometres of the South Sudan border.
The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), meanwhile, updated its Uganda travel guidance on November 6 to include additional precautions relating to the Ebola outbreak in the wider region.
The British guidance urges travellers to review health and safety information before departure, including precautions linked to the ongoing outbreak in the DRC.
The different classifications illustrate how governments assess travel risks using their own advisory systems and security considerations.
For Uganda’s tourism industry, the challenge is now to convince international travellers that the country remains an attractive destination while addressing the security and health concerns raised by foreign governments.
