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The new Uganda Tourism Board directors completed a week-long tour of western and southwestern Uganda, visiting key national parks and engaging with local stakeholders to enhance their understanding of the region’s tourism offerings and infrastructure needs.

The new Uganda Tourism Board of Directors and Managers on their familiarization Tour at Queen Elizabeth national park

The new board of directors for the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has concluded its week-long familiarization trip to the western and southwestern regions of Uganda.

This inaugural trip allowed the 11-member board, along with select UTB staff, to visit Mgahinga, Bwindi, and Queen Elizabeth national parks, providing an immersive experience and firsthand knowledge of Uganda’s diverse tourism offerings.

Under the leadership of Board Chairperson Pearl Hoareau Kakooza, the team was flown from Kampala to the Kisoro aerodrome, currently undergoing revamp and upgrade. At the airstrip, they engaged with staff from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) regarding connectivity and transport infrastructure in the region.

“We were impressed to learn that the airstrip facilitates an average of six flights per day, primarily for tourists heading for gorilla trekking,” Kakooza remarked.

From the Kisoro airstrip, the directors proceeded to Mgahinga National Park, where they were welcomed by Conservation Area Chief Warden Nelson Guma, who guided them through the visitor center and other new developments undertaken by the government through the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

“Tourism is thriving in this region. I am optimistic that tourist numbers will surpass pre-COVID levels,” Guma stated.

The board members trekking for gorillas in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi and Mgahinga in southwestern Uganda are renowned for gorilla expeditions and trekking for golden monkeys. The board members trekked for gorillas in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, visiting the Nshongi gorilla family. “It has been an exhilarating experience, navigating the challenging slopes through lush, dark green vegetation to encounter the black fluffy residents foraging on tree shoots,” narrated Rashid Kiyimba, one of the board members.

Accommodation and Infrastructure

In their mandate to ensure high standards of accommodation, the tourism board inspected several recreational and accommodation facilities, including new infrastructural developments by the tourism ministry around Kitagata community hot springs in Bushenyi-Ishaka. They proceeded northwards to Queen Elizabeth National Park, experiencing a game drive, a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, and photo moments at the new Kikorongo equator monument.

This tour followed less than a month after UTB Chief Executive Officer Lilly Ajarova unveiled new proposed actions and strategies to market Uganda as a desirable tourism destination. These strategies include infrastructure development, such as improving road networks to key tourist destinations like national parks and cultural sites, enhancing airport facilities and services to accommodate increased tourist arrivals, and developing and maintaining accommodation facilities ranging from budget to luxury options near tourist attractions.

“We also intend to foster public-private partnerships to facilitate collaboration and investment in tourism infrastructure and services, as well as ensuring safety and security to protect tourists and their belongings,” Ajarova previously expressed.

Status of Uganda’s Tourism Industry

Uganda boasts a wide range of tourism resources, including rich biodiversity, varied landscapes, and a diverse cultural and religious heritage. The tourism sector has demonstrated resilience, adapting and recovering from the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data indicates a rebound in the tourism industry, with international visitor arrivals increasing by 58.8% from 512,945 in 2021 to 814,508 in 2022.

Other African countries remain the largest source market for tourists visiting Uganda, followed by India, the USA, the UK, and China. The tourism sector contributed 4.7% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the fiscal year 2022/2023, accounting for 620,000 jobs and generating US$0.736 billion in foreign exchange earnings.

This familiarization visits by the UTB board of directors to western and southwestern Uganda aimed to seek innovative and effective strategies to promote Uganda as a top travel destination, especially for its premium tourism product the gorillas while implementing the new strategic plan.