NTEOF Calls for Government Intervention on Security Costs, Financing and Tax Burden

The National Tourism Events Organizers Federation (NTEOF) has urged government to address the growing challenges facing Uganda’s tourism events industry, particularly high security deployment costs, limited access to affordable financing, and the 18% VAT charged on event tickets.

Speaking on the national broadcaster, NTEOF President Demo Riley said tourism events contribute significantly to tourism, jobs, and economic growth, yet 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 noted that beyond mandatory security fees, event organizers are often required to pay high cost for security deployment, making many tourism events financially unviable.

Riley also highlighted the financing gap faced by organizers, who often rely on expensive loans to execute events while waiting months for sponsorship and LPO payments.

NTEOF is further calling for tax relief on event tickets, arguing that tourism events already generate revenue across accommodation, transport, hospitality, and other sectors that contribute taxes to the economy.

The federation says the increasing cost of organizing events has forced many industry players to scale down or exit the sector altogether. Similar concerns have recently been raised by leading 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 SMEs, and market Uganda to the world. The industry deserves the support needed to thrive,” Riley concluded.