QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK, Uganda — Though the risk of catching Ebola remains minimal here, roughly 200 miles from the outbreak’s epicenter in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the economic fallout is already spreading fast. In towns like Katunguru, where tourism drives the local economy, the real fear isn’t the virus itself—it’s the wave of canceled bookings and empty lodges that threatens livelihoods.
“Before even worrying about catching Ebola, people are worried about economic survival,” said Ronald Abigaba, 24, manager of the Enshama Game Lodge and Campsite. “People here live day to day, week to week. If tourists stop coming, there’s no backup.”
Abigaba’s lodge, where I stayed during a weeklong reporting trip in mid-May, was nearly empty—typical for the low season, but a stark reminder that the high season from June to September is critical for recovery. The Uganda Tourism Board insists the country remains safe, posting on X on May 19 that there is “ZERO local transmission or community infection.” But international headlines tell a different story.
The World Health Organization included Uganda in its outbreak announcement in mid-May after a few isolated cases were detected. Then the Trump administration banned foreign nationals who had traveled through Uganda, Congo, or South Sudan in the past month from entering the United States—a measure later extended to lawful permanent residents. The U.S. has a “deep bench” of experts to handle such outbreaks, but the travel ban dealt a heavy blow to Uganda’s tourism sector.
President Yoweri Museveni compounded the damage by postponing the June 3 Martyrs’ Day celebrations, a national holiday that draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world, including many from eastern Congo. The WHO praised the move as a prudent public health measure, but in Katunguru, it sent a different message. “As much as it’s creating safety, it’s also creating tension, making it seem serious,” Abigaba said. “Everyone is worried. Everyone is literally affected.”
Uganda, classified by the United Nations as a “least developed country,” relies heavily on tourism as its fifth-largest employer. In 2025, the industry generated a record $1.7 billion in revenue, up from $1.28 billion in 2024, with 1.65 million visitors. The outbreak struck just as the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo, the country’s premier trade show, was held in Kampala from May 21 to May 23. Tourism Board CEO Juliana Kagwa posted on X that “Uganda remains open, safe, and ready to deliver authentic and unforgettable experiences,” but the optimism feels fragile.
In Katunguru, the two main industries are fishing and tourism; agriculture is banned inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. Tourists flock to see lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and hundreds of bird species. During my stay, a local elephant wandered onto the lodge patio for an afternoon snack, and I spotted a leopard perched on a rock near the main road. The Kazinga Channel, connecting Lake George to Lake Edward in Congo, teems with hippos and crocodiles, viewable on boat cruises.
Haulat Birungi, 27, an English-language tour guide on the channel, said her first thought upon hearing of the Ebola outbreak was of cancellations. “Once there is an outbreak, clients always fear getting affected,” she said. “Those who had booked, or those who are going to book, have to cancel.” Birungi, who has worked as a guide for two years, can lead up to four tours a day, but now faces an uncertain season.
Abigaba and others in the tourism sector are bracing for the worst. “It’s been the low season, low business. People have loans, debts. They expect to come up in June, July, August, and September,” he said. “Now, everyone is worried.” The economic anxiety here is a stark reminder that the consequences of an epidemic often extend far beyond public health.
