Uganda today dismissed the danger to international visitors after twin bombings on Sunday killed 73 people, but tourism officials said the government must spend quickly to repair the nation's image.
Al-Qaeda-linked group al Shabaab claimed the attacks that rocked the capital Kampala during the World Cup final.
Irish woman Marie Smith (51) was among those killed. Based in Johannesburg, she was working with the Family International missionary group.
The state-run Uganda Tourism Board expects the tourism sector to earn $800 million in 2010, up from $746 million (€578 million) in 2009. The board says the industry employs some 640,000 people.
The government downplayed any lasting security threat following the deadly blasts.
"There is no need to cancel or change itineraries to Uganda. Kampala is safe and security agencies are on full alert," Serapio Rukundo, Uganda's minister of state for tourism said.
"Popular tourist destinations in the country are safe and open to tourists," he told reporters.
But private-sector officials and tour operators said urgent funding was needed in the wake of the attacks to offset the obvious harm to Uganda's marketable image.
"The government should provide some funding to revamp the image which has been spoiled by this attack," said Bonifence Byamukama, director of a tour operating company in Uganda.
Uganda must spend a minimum of $5 million (€3.8 million) a year specifically for the nation's image, tour company officials said, and they pointed to Kenya's post-election crisis in early 2008 when violence and insecurity sent tourist numbers tumbling.
Reuters