Aggie Patricia Turwomwe
When I sat down for a conversation with Anna, I expected a good story. What I didn’t expect was to walk away thinking ‘this might be the clearest explanation of Uganda’s economic opportunity I’ve heard in a long time.’
Because her story isn’t about travel alone but more about why people come… and why they stay. And more importantly, why that matters for the middle-class economy we keep talking about.
She Came for Three Months. She Stayed for Ten Years.
anna vos is Dutch.
She came to Uganda about a decade ago for what was meant to be a temporary job. Fresh off years working on international cruise ships, she was, in her own words, “just looking for some fun.” She found it here.
And then she never left. But what struck me wasn’t the timeline. It was how she described her arrival;
“I felt like I fell into a warm bath.”
Not culture shock. Not adjustment. A sense of ease. And if you’ve lived here long enough, you know exactly what she means.
Uganda’s Real Export Isn’t What We Think
We like to think Uganda’s biggest selling points are;
- The Gorillas
- The National Parks
- The Nile
- The Landscapes
And yes, those matter. But Anna said something that reframes everything;
👉 It’s the people.
Not as a slogan. As an experience. She speaks about how easily she built friendships here. How natural it felt. How different it was from the individualistic culture she came from. And that’s when it clicked.
Uganda is not just selling destinations. It is selling feeling. And in a world where travel is becoming more transactional, that’s not a small advantage.
This is premium. Uganda Tourism Board
The $6,000 Trip That People Don’t Regret
Let’s talk numbers.
A typical two-week trip through Uganda, gorilla tracking, national parks, accommodation, transport can easily cost around $6,000 per person. Gorilla permits alone are over $1,000. This is not casual spending.
These are people who save for this. Plan for this. Stretch for this.
And yet, Anna says the tourists who have come through her
“Hardly ever heard anyone say anything negative.”
They leave feeling enriched. Not satisfied. Enriched. Which raises a very uncomfortable question; If the product is this good… why are we not scaling it faster?
The Opportunity Sitting Right in Front of Us
Our conversation becomes more practical. And honestly, frustrating. Because the gap is so clear. During peak seasons, Anna cannot complete itineraries.
Not because tourists don’t want to come. Not because Uganda lacks attractions. But because; There aren’t enough quality mid-range lodges. Not luxury. Not budget. Mid-range. The segment where most global travelers sit. Clean rooms. Reliable service. Good food. Fair pricing. That’s it.
And we don’t have enough of it. Yet, that’s not a policy problem. That’s a business opportunity.
What’s Slowing Us Down (That We Don’t Want to Admit)
Anna doesn’t sugarcoat it in three things;
1. Leakages in the System.
Tourism generates serious revenue, but too much of it doesn’t reach where it should. – Communities near parks. Local ecosystems. People who should benefit directly, because when that connection breaks, sustainability breaks with it.
2. Mindset Gaps.
There’s a subtle but important shift needed;
👉 From entitlement → to earned growth
The idea that opportunity should come before effort doesn’t build industries. Consistency does.
3. Infrastructure Friction
Traffic. Roads. Time lost. She jokes she needs a passport to move across Kampala. Funny, but also expensive. Because every hour lost in traffic is productivity lost. And at scale, that adds up.
But Here’s Why This Still Works
Despite everything, Anna is still here. Still selling Uganda. Still believing in it and she points to what’s working;
- Eagerness — People want to work, to grow, to build
- Diversity — Uganda offers multiple experiences in one country
- Investment — New lodges, better roads, expanding infrastructure
These are not small signals. They are early indicators.
The Middle-Class Economy Isn’t Far, It’s Uncoordinated
The World Bank says 2040. Fifteen years. That’s not far. But here’s the reality; It won’t happen automatically.
It will depend on whether we can align;
- Opportunity with infrastructure
- Revenue with accountability
- Demand with supply
Because the demand is already there. People are already coming. They are already paying.
The Reframe That Stayed With Me
Anna also says something powerful; In healthcare, she felt helpless. In tourism?
“I just have to convince people of the beauty of this country. They come. They spend. They help the economy.”
That’s impact. Not dramatic. But effective. And scalable.
A Dutch woman came to Uganda for three months. Ten years later, she’s still here. Still building. Still believing. Still selling this country to the world. That should tell us something. Uganda doesn’t need to be discovered. It needs to be structured, supported, and scaled for if outsiders can see the value this clearly then what are we missing?
And ask yourself Where is the gap I can fill? The middle-class economy we keep talking about Is already forming.
We just need to build around it.
So now that you are still here, what do you think it will take?
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