Officials from the Department of International Economic Cooperation, operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embarked on a four-day excursion to explore the western region of Uganda.
During their trip, they visited various attractions, including the renowned Queen Elizabeth National Park.
According to newvision.co.ug, This move is a follow-up to an initiative mooted by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in June 2023, aiming to implement a joint international marketing strategy for different tourism products outside Uganda.
Led by Connie Nuwagaba, a counsellor in the Department, the team of 15 delegates was mesmerised by the beauty and natural endowments of Western Uganda before they took a game drive inside the 1,978-square-kilometre Queen Elizabeth National Park.
They saw several wildlife, including lions, hippos, kobs, waterbucks, elephants, snakes, and hundreds of bird species, among an array of several other attractions.
Bunyampaka, where they saw several investment opportunities. According to Nuwagaba, the trip offered insights into Uganda’s natural endowments, which ought to be marketed to several embassies and foreign missions.
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“Every ambassador and foreign representative ought to be taken around this country to feel and witness the natural endowments that we have in terms of tourism among several other investment
opportunities which have to be marketed outside the country,” Nuwagaba urged.
Peace Nankinga, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that several staff have never been to a single national park in Uganda.
“This initiative will not only enhance our understanding of several endowments but also equip us with knowledge of several investment opportunities that can be sold to investors out of Uganda,” she said.
During their recent visit ahead of the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE), several hosted buyers from different countries proposed to form a voluntary committee charged with attracting international tour companies to visit Ugandan embassies in their respective countries, from where more information about tourism and investment opportunities can be provided.
“Ugandan embassies should organize meet-ups and dinners where we can bring tour operators from respective countries. During such engagements, more information should be provided about Uganda to attract the big companies to bring their clients and better so, invest in Uganda,” advised Robert Szulc from Poland.
In response, Nuwagaba appealed to the Uganda Tourism Board to continue providing branded material and other informative merchandise to embassies and foreign missions, which can be used
to attract tourists and investors.
At the eighth edition of POATE, which ended on May 25, 2024, Ramathan Goobi, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, said the government was committed to increasing funding for tourism promotion. He further asserted that UTB was to take the lead not only in marketing Uganda but also in attracting international Daniel Irunga, the ‘Explore Uganda’ brand manager, said the visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park over the weekend was a continuation of an earlier initiative to have UTB and Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs implement a joint international marketing strategy, support crisis communications, and collaborate with diaspora associations to promote investment in Uganda.
He revealed that officials would be taken to all the tourism sites in Uganda, with Murchison Falls National Park next on the agenda. “We need more collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially for tourism in the far-flung source markets, as part of the
presidential directive on partnership with missions for tourism promotion,” Irunga explained.
Calling for more visitors to the Pearl of Africa, Lilly Ajarova, the UTB chief executive officer, remains optimistic that the increasing number of direct flights and the expansion of tourism facilities reflect a commitment to making Uganda accessible and attractive to tourists
and investors worldwide.
“Looking ahead, we are excited about the future of tourism in Uganda and are continuously working to enhance our offerings on the global stage,” she stated. Col. (Rtd) Tom Butime, the Minister for Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, noted that the government has set an ambitious target to boost tourism earnings to $5 billion (sh19 trillion), with interventions such as improving security, developing tourism sites, enhancing accessibility, diversifying products, and leveraging technology.
