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Standards-related Regional Innovation and International Cooperation

Turning Namugongo into a Smart Religious Tourist City: A Tool to Boost Uganda’s Economic Opportunities from Religious Tourism

  • Agnes Noelin Nassuna
    Department of Finance, Faculty of Commerce, Makerere University Business School, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda
    Author
  • Diana Nandagire Ntamu
    Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Faculty of Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management, Makerere University Business School, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda
    Author
  • Lawrence Ssemusu
    Department of Leadership and Governance, Faculty of Management, Makerere University Business School, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda
    Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63385/sriic.v1i3.101014

Keywords:

Religious Tourism,Namugongo,Smart City,Uganda Martyrs

Abstract

Religious tourism is an important part of Uganda’s cultural heritage, yet its economic potential remains untapped due to urban congestion and infrastructure challenges. This paper explores the transformation of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo into a smart city to enhance pilgrim experiences and increase economic opportunities. This paper integrates theories of religious tourism and smart cities to explore Namugongo's untapped potential as a smart city to contribute to the limited empirical literature on these theories in a developing country context. It assesses the challenges faced in the bid to achieve smartness and how they can be minimized. The paper used a qualitative methodology, including document review and case analysis of global smart cities such as Singapore and New York, as well as African counterparts such as Kigali and Cape Town. Findings indicate that Namugongo has potential for year-round recreational tourism, waste-to-energy initiatives, and entrepreneurial initiatives such as purified “Martyr’s Lake” water. The successful implementation of these projects, however, faces challenges, including high infrastructural costs and stakeholder coordination. The paper argues that a phased integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) solutions, such as smart mobility and digital governance, would promote sustainability while preserving spiritual purity. The paper concludes that a collaborative, people-centered smart city framework is important for Namugongo to attract more tourists, as other global religious hubs, such as Mecca and Jerusalem, do.

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