uganda tour and safari news

Tour operators in Uganda are experiencing a very hard working environment especially this year. The sky-rocketing prices of fuel, falling of the dollar and general cost of living in Uganda took up most of the possible profits we as UTA (Uganda Tourism Association) members could have earned.

This is as a result of foreign visitors , unlike Ugandans, plan and pay for these safaris a year in advance. Since we had received their monies in advance, we had no choice but to execute their safaris.

The above and the obvious lack of interest by government to market Uganda as a tourism destination like national park that has caused a reduction on the need needs for a quick action.

The worst news for UTA members is that Uganda has been suspended from the World Tourism Organisation for not paying dues. WTO membership plays a very important role in the global tourism industry in general and lack of membership will see Uganda fall deeper in trouble as a country and will be affecting the industry that has created jobs, (17 per cent of the employable labour) earns the highest forex incomes, etc…Lack of membership also clouds the credibility of Ugandan tour operators in the eyes of suppliers from other countries, and will cause us to lose out on thousands of dollars worth of business.

We as tour operator expecting parliament to convene and discuss this issue as a matter of urgence but being something that has nothing to do with their votes we do not have hope that this will be discussed even a year from now.

One thing that both opposition and ruling party MPs in Kenya agree on is the marketing their country to rest of the world as a tourism destination and this year alone Kenya ear marked 4m dollars towards the same cause but here tourism never gets a mention and any member of parliament that will champion the discussion on tourism will win the hearts many since it creates jobs and empowers citizens deep in villages. Alive example we have today is Buhoma, the villages near Bwindi national park, here the villagers understand value differences between dollar, pound and even the euros all because of tourism.

With our exploding population, Uganda’s biggest challenges will be severe unemployment and destruction of our general eco-system (obviously eco-system plays a major role in attracting potential tourists to Uganda). The President of Uganda and environmentalists should make redundant the majority of advisers who have ignored what could remove Ugandans from abject poverty (tourism). The World Bank has discovered that tourism creates more jobs as compared to any other industries especially in the developing world.

It’s the only area where we stand potentially high since we are among the top 10 countries in terms bio-diversity which bio-diversity means relative abundance of flora and fauna and general eco-system which is facing a risk of extinction now. We should learn both conservation and strategic marketing from our neighbours like Tanzania, Kenya and especially Rwanda being a new comer that has stood out in marketing its potential to the rest of the world.

Just as a reminder, Uganda has the highest density of primates (Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Olive Baboons, to mention but a few) of any country on earth. Kibale Forest and Bwindi National Parks have 16 per cent of the polypore fungi recorded from North America and Europe.

Other attractions in Uganda include a large portion of Lake Victoria and Islands on the Lake,mountains, diversity of culture, good weather and the Nile which provides the best rafting opportunity on earth in terms of 1 to 3 days rafting. In addition Uganda has more birds per square km as compared to any country on the continent and in conclusion Uganda is one big tourist attraction from the North to South and from the East to West.

Tourism has the highest trickle down effect as compared to any other sector in a given country. On average a tourist spends between USD150 to 250 per day they spend in Uganda and this expenditure will always follow the tourists itinerary. If this tourist spends 14 days cultural safari then the country will retain an average of USD 2500 and if you compare this to tomato growers, how long will a tomato grower wait to earn this kind of money?

We are not saying we should not consider agriculture, rather harness from our business potential. The most interesting example is that one gorilla permit costs $500 which allows only one individual to see mountain gorillas for one hour only, and yet these permits are bought up to 2 years in advance.

It’s as a result of lack of kn0wlodge on branding of country , because if branding is done then Ugandans’ attitudes towards the country will automatically change.
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Kiiza K Calah
Uganda gorilla safari news

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By Kiiza Calah
Uganda gorilla safari news

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has began a drive to promote wildlife conservation and local tourism.

The move is to popularise Uganda’s rich wildlife heritage among students, according to the director of tourism and business development, Eunice Nyiramahoro.

He said there was need for the Government to give incentives to the industry to allow easy accessibility to the national parks in Uganda.

Speaking at the closure of a two-week sensitisation seminar at Makerere University, Nyiramahoro said: “People are constrained because tour companies are expensive. But the ministry of tourism is working on ways to make accessing the national parks easier.”

“We need to put infrastructure in place to attract more local tourists,” she said.

“We have heard you say that those parks are for Bazungu (whites). We want to change that,” Nyiramahoro added.

The organisation, She said, had given students free entrance to the parks provided they had valid student identification.

Nyiramahoro said UWA was devising ways of reaching all universities to develop students’ interest in the sector.

The climax of the day was a raffle where the winner, Judith Dushimimana, a student of Psychology, won a three-day fully paid tour of Murchison Falls or Queen Elizabeth Game Park.

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By Kiiza Calah
Uganda gorilla safari news

The ministry of tourism plans to develop potential tourist sites upcountry. The plan, according to the tourism state minister, Serapio Rukundo, involves establishing world-class facilities for visitors.

The minister, who was inspecting prospective sites in the countryside, told Arua district local leaders on Wednesday that he was waiting for approval from the finance ministry to start implementing the project.

He explained that the plan would be supported by the Government’s increased funding to the road sector to link major tourism sites across the country.

“While the Government is working on the roads, we have asked them to work on what we have prescribed as tourism roads. So that when a tourist leaves Kampala, they can traverse the country without necessarily going back to the capital,” Rukundo said.

He announced that the ministry had set aside funds to establish at least 10 five-star hotels in different regions and also procure 100 tourism vehicles under a private-public partnership arrangement.

Rukundo said they were also in talks with the finance ministry to waive taxes on cars, which will be bought and given to private tour operators under a hire-purchase system.

Rukundo said the Government would ask established hotels such as Serena and Sheraton to open more facilities upcountry.

He noted that the country had been divided into tourism zones, the first being Kigezi, with scenic sites at Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi forests for gorilla tracking and Ishasha, with its tree-climbing lions.

The second zone, dubbed the Rift Valley Zone, covers part of Queen Elizabeth national park and the Semiliki reserves.

The third zone stretches from Murchison Falls national park through the West Nile region.

The other zone covers the eastern region, with Mt Elgon as one of the main attractions.

Kampala is being developed into a “one-day-site” base. Tourists based in Kampala will be able to visit the rhinos and hippos in Nakasongola district or the Ssese Islands and return to Kampala the same day, the minister explained.

Rukundo said plans were underway to reintroduce rhinos in the 164 square-kilometer Ajai game reserve.

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