The Top 10 Things one Must Experience in Uganda| Gorillas – Tasty Rolex

 

The Top 10 Things one Must Experience in Uganda – From Gorillas to our Tasty Rolex

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Visitors to Uganda have many choices when it comes to Experiences.  Here are The Top 10 Things one Must Experience in Uganda – the Pearl of Africa.  Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking are for most the top things to experience in Uganda.

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1.  Mountain Gorilla Trekking:

Uganda is known for its Mountain Gorillas and people come here to track for Mountain Gorillas, what most do not know is that you can not only track Mountain Gorillas where you are with a Gorilla Family for one hour.  In Uganda you can be with them for four hours on a Gorilla Habituation Experience.

Uganda, not Rwanda, not the Democratic Republic of Congo has the Gorilla Habituation Experience.  A very limited group of visitors are allowed to participate in the Habituation Experience, Plan ahead if you like to be one of the few that will spend 4 hours with the Mountain Gorillas, definitely a Must Experience in Uganda.

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2. Chimpanzee Trekking:

When it comes to Chimpanzee Trekking in East Africa, there is no better country than Uganda. with almost 5000 chimpanzees Uganda has the largest  chimpanzee population in East Africa.  It has more parks and places for Chimpanzee Tracking and it has the best primate park in East Africa –Kibale Forest for the best Chimpanzee tracking around.

Uganda is the only country in East Africa that not only offers great Chimpanzee Treks, but a full-day with the Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest on a Chimpanzee Habituation Experience that lasts from early morning to late afternoon where you are with Researchers and guides.  Another one of those top-things for visitors to Uganda to Experience.

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3.  Kidepo Valley Park:

There are many Wildlife Parks found in East Africa, however there is no other park such as Kidepo Valley Park, that is Africa as it used to be without the crowds, the Africa of over 50 years ago.

Kidepo Valley Park, named the #3 Wildlife Park by CNN has been also called “the Lost Eden.”

Less than 10 new visitors come here, you are experiencing the African Wild without the Crowds and while here visit the fierce Warrior- Nomads, the Karamajong People in one of their villages, called Manyatta. Hike up the Morungole Mountains and visit the most remote tribe in Uganda – the Ik people.

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4. Taste some of the Best Tropical Fruit Africa has to offer:

When it come Pineapple, Ugandan Pineapple is the best. Mangoes, papaya and the enormous, sticky, Jackfruit, a most amazing treat.

Fruit Lovers will love Uganda and tasting some of our delicious fruit, fresh off of a tree is a must do and taste thing in Uganda.

Our Oranges might be green, but are tasty and sweet if you know which one to buy…and when it come to Bananas, Uganda is the Banana Republic of Africa with over 50 varieties grown.

If you are a vegetarian or Vegan, Uganda’s great fruit is one reason you will be just fine here. You have to experience the tasty Tropical Fruit of Uganda.

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5. Dip your Toes into Lake Bunyonyi:

Lake Bunyonyi  is one of those top things to experience in Uganda, a place where you can just be and dip your toes into the clear Lake Bunyonyi – one of the top places in Uganda to relax and chill out, take a dugout canoe ride to one of the 29 islands, swim, hike, bike, relax more.

Lake Bunyonyi is not only famous for its beauty, it has become well-known as the best places in Africa for lovers of crayfish.

Some years ago Louisiana Crayfish was brought here and it has thrived, locals hardly eat them, but visitors from around the world delight in the various dishes offered by lodges and hotels around the Lake.

Enjoy a Scene at Lake Bunyonyi from “lord of the Rings.”

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6. Adrenaline Pumping Adventures on the River Nile:

Jinja on the River Nile just east of Kampala is home to must do experiences for visitors to Uganda such as white water rafting, Kayaking, bungee jumping, but also biking, horseback riding, ATV Quad Biking, Sunset Cruises on the Nile, Nile Perch Fishing and more.

Jinja – is east of Kampala, a mere two hours drive, it looks like a sleepy African Town, however looks can be deceptive and they are in the case of Jinja.

Jinja is the adrenaline pumping adventure capital with lots of choices when it comes to exciting adventures, especially on the River Nile.

Jinja, is one of the must experience towns for visitors to Uganda.

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7. Rolex – we eat them – we don’t wear them:

In Uganda we do not wear a Rolex – we eat it.  Rolex is Uganda’s favorite fast food and consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Uganda is home to many unique dishes, Rolex being one of them and Nsenene – Grasshoppers fried to perfection being another.

Rolex are a favorite among Backpackers, but it has also come to restaurants in various forms, try one or two.

Like said, we don’t wear Rolex – the watch that is, we eat the affordable variety – The Rolex Chapati with scrambled eggs and whatever else might delight your tastebuds.

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8. A Day with the Original People of the Forest – the Batwa Pygmies:

The Batwa People have lived for over 500,000 years in the forests of Southwest Uganda leaving a small ecological footprint.

Their history, their ways of living are unique and you can experience their lifestyle while with them in the forest, seeing the forest through the eyes of its original people in Bwindi Impenetrable Fores, Buniga Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla Park.

A visit with the Batwa People will be most rewarding since most visitors have no clue who these people, who lived here for over 500,000 years area, but you can find out on a forest walk with them.

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9. The Tree-Climbing Lions of Ishasha:

The Ishasha Area is one of the best areas in all of East Africa for Tree-Climbing Lions.

It is located inside the southern area of Queen Elizabeth Park half-way from Mweya to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

You can stay overnight here in the fabulous Ishasha Wilderness Camp while you trek the Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha.

The Tree-Climbing Lions of Ishasha are attracting more and more visitors, not just from around the world, but from Uganda itself.

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10. Uganda’s Hidden Tropical Islands:

Uganda is landlocked nation, a thousand miles from the Indian Ocean, yet it has its hidden Tropical Islands, the Ssese Islands where you can walk on sandy beaches, fish, swim, hike, bike and eat some fresh fish from Lake Victoria.

The perfect setting at the end of your safari in Uganda, a place where you can relax for a few days before returning home to your country.

The Ssese Islands have been called by Lonely Planet, Uganda’s Secret Tropical Islands and to most visitors to Uganda they are just that.  We can arrange a visit for you.

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The Top 10 Things one Must Experience in Uganda – here you have them – an eclectic collection of things and places that are uniquely Uganda – the Pearl of Africa. The things that Ugandans and visitors alike enjoy in traveling in and through the countryside.

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The Top 10 Things one Must Experience in Uganda – if you like to include some in your safari with us – please let us know.

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Exploring Uganda from the skies

Jean-Michel Hausman on one of his expeditions.   photo.by Edgar R. Batte

IN SUMMARY

He came as a diplomat, but the beauty of the country made Jean-Michel Hausman a national and tourism advocate.

When Jean-Michel Hausman was sent to Uganda as a secretary to the defence attaché of the Belgian embassy, he thought it would only be about his work and precisely the job description he had signed. He was wrong.

As he went about his work, he fell in love with Uganda and did not keep the love in the heart. He started going out to show it, exploring the beauty of Uganda.

As he embarked on the adventure sojourn, he wanted to use the opportunity to document different tourism destinations around the country as a way of demystifying the notion that Ebola, that severe and often fatal viral disease, is everywhere in Africa.

ALSO READ: Why you should visit Uganda

“The idea is to make a video for free, to show the beauty of Uganda. I have been flying over the nicest places in Uganda. I have a friend from Brussels Airlines, and together, we went to Maria Mutagamba, the Minister of Tourism and discussed how we can tour all these places – national parks, lodges, and other tourism activities. She got interested and offered us clearance from the Media Centre to be able to film, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), as well as from the Chief of Military Intelligence,” Hausman explains.

With the clearances, he was ready to start moving. He laid out a plan and was tracked by the ministry to know where he was travelling to and when. He made a timetable and a flight plan which would take 22 days.

The ex-soldier treated the documentation process as his holiday experience. He was doing all this on his budget and resources that had been extended to him by Brussels Airlines, which paid for fuel used in the propeller and the car. He would fly and drive.

UWA extended clearance to his driver as well and together, they set out for the skies. His driver doubled as his assistant, carrying for him the flying machine and camera.

Challenges
Along the way, it proved not entirely ideal as the pilot had to deal with bad weather conditions, especially in Kidepo Valley National Park where the wind was unpredictable yet very important for the propulsion of the flight machine. Whenever he had a chance to fly, Hausman made good of his time in space, filming schools of buffaloes from an eagle’s view.

When he travelled to Jinja, he was faced with the challenge of bad roads and weather. He had to proceed to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa, in eastern Uganda, and postpone expeditions in Jinja, which meant changes in his timetable.

He went to Sironko on a market day, which attracted a crowd of about 2,000 people around him because locals in this remote part of the country had never seen the kind of machine he was using to fly. “There were so many people that it became impossible to switch on the machine. So we decided not to do that anymore. We decided to fly from a little village and crossed over to Karamoja. We made the transition by car because of the time table,” Hausman adds.

Visiting parks
From Karamoja, he spent another three days in Murchison Falls National Park, before proceeding to Fort Portal where he visited Queen Elizabeth National Park. “I had to do a road trip because it is difficult to fly over a forest. I stayed at Kyaninga Lodge, then filmed Lake Bunyonyi for two days, before proceeding to Lake Mburo National Park,” he adds. All the footage will be shown on the flight of Brussels Airlines all over the world.

The 63-year-old says every Ugandan ought to be proud of being a national of this beautiful country because it has possibilities not only for tourism but also other avenues. Hausman has only had two accidents in his career as a military personnel. Along the way, he fell in love with Ugandan cuisines too. He adds, “We have our own culture but I like Ugandan food.”

And whereas Hausman thinks that the ministry has no intentions to use much of the beautiful data collected, he suspects this footage will showcase Uganda in good, positive light.

ALSO READ: STATEMENT ON EBOLA

Who is Hausman?
Hausman is a Belgian national and an ex-serviceman working at the embassy. In his private life, he is a pilot. He has been flying since he was 16. He has recently been out and about in the air using a para-motor, which looks like a big parachute. He is married, with three children.

By EDGAR R. BATTE

rbatte@ug.nationmedia.com

Gorilla trekking and gorilla tours

Uganda Tourism news, Uganda safari news and gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

Time for a family portrait as a souvenir to our sweet visitor!

All you need to Know while organizing Gorilla Trekking in Uganda/Rwanda and the permits.
Only 8 persons can visit a given gorilla family per day. In Uganda, ten families have been habituated in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP, and so can host 80 persons tacking the mountain gorillas on any day. Rwanda can also take 80 persons per day. All else being equal, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park has a slight edge over the rest because its gorillas are the most wholly habituated, and they are often found in bamboo than the dense forest which makes photographing easy

The emotional feel, excitement and attachment that comes with coming close to these gentle giants!

However, the long drive to Bwindi is quite enchanting with great sceneries all through like the Equator, Lake Mburo National Park ( for some Queen Elizabeth National Park with abundant wildlife), terraced mountains with flowing rivers, and a lot of rural Africa. This is not so really the case for the drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking . Some tourists have also opted for flying over from Entebbe to towns near (Kihihi and Kisoro) to track the gorillas. A round flight ticket costs $250 with AeroLink Uganda. In that case you will need to arrange your transfer from the airstrip to Bwindi, and back as well for assistance to organise this please).

You will certainly need spend more on transport and time to track the mountain gorillas in Uganda than it’s for Rwanda although this cost is compensated for by a cheaper gorilla permit. Besides, some sections of the roads to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are not so comfortable to drive on yet in the case of Rwanda, you drive on smooth tarmac at least up to the Volcanoes National Park head office. Not to mention though, the roads leading from Volcanoes park office to the gorilla trek trail-heads can only be accessed with a raised 4×4 vehicle. It should noted that the major challenge with tracking gorillas in Rwanda is the price of the permits which is USD 750 compared to the price of Uganda’ permits which is USD 600 .

By Eddy Kirya.

Gorilla trekking and gorilla tours

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Uganda; we are a ‘hermaphrodite nation’ that’s too small – we need Tanzania’s size

On Monday, a colleague who was writing an article on the top “man-made” brands in Africa – either companies or products that are famous, or natural features that clever marketing has brought to global attention – asked me to “be honest” and give him one or two Ugandan ones that truly belonged in the top 10 in Africa.

I was tempted to say “mountain gorillas” but then I realised that Rwanda has colonised them. Partly because of things like the gorilla naming ceremony where world figures like Bill Gates and Hollywood actors have “baptised” baby gorillas, plus the big hype they make about them, the average tourist in the world today thinks that the only place you can see mountain gorillas is in Rwanda.

They also know that mountain gorillas exist in DR Congo, but that the Congolese are killing them for their parts and even eating them.
Uganda? Well, we don’t kill the mountain gorillas. But neither do we do any aggressive self-promotion around them. For example, at the 2014 gorilla naming ceremony, there were dozens of unruly Chinese travel photographers and journalists who had been invited for the event. They went delirious when the “fake” mountain gorillas (humans in gorilla costumes) did their parade.
China is the fastest growing source of tourists for the world. The Rwandans are looking for a slice of the Chinese crowd, so what better way to do it than to pamper a bunch of their travel journalists and photographers?
A few years ago, white water rafting at Bujaggali on River Nile was getting a lot of world attention…then we built the dam over it.
In short, we are not doing well. Kenya and Ethiopia have world famous airlines. The Maasai would have been obscure, then they invented their colourful blankets and perfected that high jump dance of theirs.

Read  this: Uganda East African single Visa Launch
Today, one out of four times when an international company (cars, mobile phones) do an Africa advert, there is (annoying to some who think its stereotypical) the tall Maasai in his blanket clutching a phone. Kenya here has done to Tanzania what the Rwandans have done to us with the mountain gorillas – many people don’t know that there are nearly as many Maasai in Tanzania with the same culture as in Kenya.
We had the Kasubi Tombs, then burnt them down one dark night. We are the land of the Christian Martyrs but these days only a few diehard Catholics in the world know that.
So what went wrong? There are two ways brands have been built in Africa – through the actions of determined governments as in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Egypt (with the pyramids), or robust private sectors as in Kenya, and South Africa.
Uganda? We have a strong, but ineffective government that can no longer innovate. We have a lively entrepreneurial spirit, but a weakling private sector that still parasites on the State.
If Uganda were a creature, it would be a hermaphrodite – both male and female, but neither wholly male nor female. So we are a hermaphrodite nation that lives in a kind of limbo in which nothing of a national scale is pursued doggedly for years to the end, either by the government or the private sector.
Take Kenya. Ever since the 1968 Mexico Olympics in which Kipchego Keino tore up the form book in the 1500m and heralded the country’s arrival in world long distance running, largely through private money, Kenya’s Rift Valley is dotted with top athletics training camps where many world elite long distance runners come to hone their craft.
Rwanda took advantage of its hills, a few quirk events after the genocide, and is on course to be Africa’s second biggest cycling training and competition scene after South Africa.
You don’t see that happening in Uganda, perhaps because we are too conflicted and easily distracted. For example, over the last two years we have been too consumed by succession politics – first, it was the “Muhoozi project”. That died down and you couldn’t turn anywhere in Uganda without being hit in the face by the tribulations of Amama Mbabazi. Then now we have the General David Sejusa saga.
Also, a belief has taken root among some (not without justification) that Museveni’s rule is toxic and no longer stable enough for business. So some people are actually waiting for a post-Museveni era.
Problem is that it has also become an easy excuse for some to explain their failures, and is breeding an escapist do-nothing mentality in parts of the country.
I think that while countries like Rwanda and Mauritius have taken advantage of their small size, Uganda has been hurt by it. We would have been a more successful and richer country if we were the size of Tanzania, with Kampala being too far away for its noise to intrude in the daily lives of most people.

By Charles Onyango-Obbo
Mr Onyango-Obbo is editor of Mail & Guardian AFRICA (mgafrica.com). Twitter:@cobbo3

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East African tourism: United we stand, divided we fall

The single tourist visa initiative was to bring East Africa together and should have been a winner for all nations in regards to travel and tourism. Tanzania decided to have no part of it.

Speaking off the record, several of those spoken to expressed their misgivings that Tanzania was not joining into the single tourist visa arrangements now in place between Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, claiming it would eventually work out against them in terms of demand for cross-border tours.

“Tour operators and travel agents are shrewd people. They look for deals, they always look for deals, and the single visa is a good deal. For one, it saves the hassle of filling out several visa forms when traveling from Kenya to Uganda and the Rwanda. Second, it saves a bit of money when you compare to buying each visa separately. I am not saying that because of that the existing demand for travel to our main parks like Serengeti and Ngorongoro will reduce. But what I am saying is that incremental demand could be lower as those looking for smooth packages across borders may opt not to include us.

“I have seen that the Ebola scare did have an impact on forward demand, and we just have to make sure we use every available tool to market ourselves, not just as the land of Serengeti and Zanzibar but also as a regional destination,” said one more regular contributor before shrugging, “…but, of course, our present-day government will not join into that arrangement; maybe the next one after the elections next year [which when said, was correct but when writing this article, the Tanzanian elections are, of course, taking place this year 2015].
Read this also: Statement on Ebola
Three of them, keener than others to break the ice, then raised the question in the discussion as to how best to tap into the regional market, citing lack of and high cost of flights between the 5 East African Community (EAC) member countries.

‘We are sort of stuck here with few choices. Kenya Airways flies four times a day from Dar es Salaam to Nairobi and from there into the other capitals. But here, it is the cost which is a factor. They are not good with package deals for tourists mainly because they fly with high loads and are sitting firm on top of the food chain. Fastjet does not fly to Kenya and in fact only to Uganda, but not daily. Before we had two flights a day between Dar and Entebbe, and we should at least have daily flights. And for Kigali, at least we have daily flights, and RwandAir seems more flexible with their fares, so maybe that gives an opening? After all, they got the gorillas, and we don’t have those in our country. It allows for a good package deal.”

Ideas were tossed about in the meeting before, perhaps as a result of the broad regional experience; the safari operators present did accept that an ideal package out of Dar es Salaam, offered to tourists while already in the country with no concrete plans, or to those making inquiries well in advance of their travel, could easily combine several key attractions.

BOOK YOUR GORILLA TOUR

“For one, check with the airlines like Qatar or Turkish or flydubai or Ethiopian, which are all flying to Dar es Salaam and to Kigali. They might be able to offer an open-jaw ticket that visitors for instance land in Dar and then leave for back home from Kigali or vice versa. If it helps them fill their seats, they might very well be willing to consider this. Then, out of Dar es Salaam, you have two main domestic destinations which can be reached in under an hour. First, of course, Zanzibar, the Spice Island. Everyone has heard about it and wants to see it with their own eyes – the old Stone Town, the old slave markets, and the spice plantations.

“Next you have the Selous, where I have just been. In fact, you can connect your tourists when they come from or go to Zanzibar using the same small airline like Flightlink for instance. They might give a cheaper ticket deal when travel involves four sectors rather than just two. Using the same hotel groups might also get you better rates for accommodation. Serena for instance got properties in Dar, Zanzibar, the Selous, but also in Kigali and near the gorilla park.

“Using one chain of hotels again improves your chances to get larger rebates when booking with them, either directly or through overriding commissions when you reach revenue targets. So all you now need to do is find a counterpart in Rwanda to talk to and package accordingly. After arrival in Dar, they spend the night before moving to Zanzibar for a night or two, the Selous for a few nights, and then fly with RwandAir to Kigali for their gorilla experience.

“You have options there as far as hotels are concerned, some of the smaller ones have even a lodge near the Virunga Park. Or you use Serena with a hotel in Kigali and their resort at Lake Kivu which is just an hour’s drive from the gorilla park. Include added value in your package to make it more attractive, like a boat ride on the lake or a visit to the caves in Musanze or to the site where the former Kings were prepared for kingship,” all suggestions which were instantly seen as potential game changers and a winning formula to get into the regional tourism market.

Knowing the region intimately well and having cross-sectoral experience with airlines, of course, makes it easier for me to suggest such packages, but it is well noted that the East African Tourism Platform, the East African Community’s private sector apex body for the national tourism associations, has progressively moved towards training programs. Tour and safari operators across the region have been brought together and shown how to work together, often in the process helping to overcome age-old sentiments and prejudices, hopefully breaking the ice for good and paving the way for a brighter future of the region’s tourism industry through competitive cooperation rather than playing the isolationist cards.

It seems there is hope after all that one fine day East Africa will present itself to the world as that single destination with many unique attractions, because her, like everywhere else, the motto does hold water: “United we stand, divided we fall.”

Source: By Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome, Ph.D., eTN Africa Correspondent

Gorilla trekking and gorilla tours

Uganda Tourism news, Uganda safari news and gorilla trekking

 

2014 tourism: The good, the bad and the ugly

Touched-by-a-Wild-Mountain-Gorilla-Uganda’s-Bwindi-National-Park

2014 has been a mixed bag for the tourism sector. The sector registered a share of highs, such as overtaking all sectors in the country in terms of foreign exchange earnings. This happened, despite the low investment in the sector.

On the international stage, a lot of attention has been drawn to Uganda, after President Museveni threw a spanner in the works when he declared Uganda a better tourist destination than Spain, a country that is ranked as one of the top tourist destinations in Europe. Tourism players and Ugandans have given kudos to the head of state for this.

Marketing
Simon Tebyasa, the managing director Harmony Safaris Limited, observes that on top of individualised and aggressive marketing as a tourism entrepreneur, the Ugandan government has tried to market Uganda globally, which benefits young players in the sector, him inclusive.

The efforts by tourism enthusiasts and Great Lakes Safaris’ Amos Wekesa in promoting Uganda globally cannot go unnoticed. He has made international presentations all geared towards promoting Uganda and positioning it on the international radar. This is besides active social media campaigns which have drawn a lot of attention.
When CNN sought to interview Wekesa for his personal story in November, he used the opportunity to tell about the beauty of the Pearl of Africa and thereby drumming up the need for tourists to visit.

“This has brought a lot of awareness hence pushing Uganda to the ranks of one of the most desired destinations in Africa. Communities around the national parks have been sensitised to appreciate the benefits that come with tourism like schools, health facilities, source of income for the locals and other benefits that come with tourists,” Tebyasa explains.

Tourists who stay with families in the community spend money on feeding and buy items such as handcrafts at community shops, among other related activities.

While launching the Night Game Drives earlier in the year, Bunyoro King Rukirabasaija Agutamba Solomon Gafabusa Iguru I, called on Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to tailor activities that would engage local communities in tourism as a way of finding a source of livelihood.

The Good

In the mainstream tourism sector, 2014 started off good as tour companies intensified efforts to improve their facilities and thus tourist experience. Wildplaces’ & The Uganda Safari Company’s group general manager Gary Segal says his peak was from June to August.

“We have been working hard on growing our marketing efforts and building relationships with key agents, as well as doing some refurbishments to some of our properties like Apoka Safari Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Semliki Safari Lodge and Pineapple Bay,” he explains.

This, he adds, was on addition to structuralising and systemising through constantly training and developing staff within the organisation to be more productive and efficient, whilst keeping the ultimate service experience and guest delight at the forefront of their day-to-day activities.

June also brought with it good news at UTB where for the first time, government increased the institution’s budget, since the 1990s, to about Shs6 billion.

John Ssempebwa, the deputy chief executive officer at Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), says the budget is still peanuts compared to what Kenya spends, which is about $40m (about Shs110 billion), but it is a step in the right direction.

Trek East Africa Safaris’ managing director Geoffrey Baluku points at the launch of the five-year strategic plan as local tourism’s biggest achievement for 2014. The Tourism Development Master Plan recognises Uganda’s exceptional range of natural and cultural tourism assets, and prescribes the measures and resources needed to unlock their unrealised potential and deliver a significant boost to the tourism economy in the next 10 years.

According to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), by 2023, the Master Plan forecasts an increase in foreign receipts to more than $1.4 billion (about Shs3.8 trillion) per annum, and the creation of more than 150,000 additional tourism jobs. The projection is based on a careful analysis of both internal and external environments of the country.

Basing on the potential of the tourism sector, the government recognised the importance of tourism to national socioeconomic development and it has identified it as a priority sector in the National Development Plan 2010-15. The Master Plan therefore serves as a guideline for development of tourism, enabling the decision makers to agree on the principles for the direction for the next 10 years.

Simon Tebyasa, the managing director Harmony Safaris Limited, also notes that community policing has been on the rise this year as the police continues to work with tour companies in making sure that tourist are safe. He adds, “One way they have tried to work with tour companies is to provide Emergency numbers to call in case of an emergency.”

The bad
Nature Uganda’s executive director Achilles Byaruhanga says Uganda has suffered some continuous challenges, for example destruction of forests in different places where communities continue to cut down trees without intervention from National Forestry Authority (NFA).

This is in addition to the Ebola outbreak as well as passing of the anti-gays Bill, which players in tourism and hospitality sector have regarded as two big blows. Garry Segal, Wildplaces’ & The Uganda Safari Company’s group general manager, says the impact of the law was real and caused a drawback in the number of bookings at the Wildplaces’ lodges, in spite of the overturning of this Bill.

At Harmony Safaris, many bookings were cancelled because the outbreak of Ebola created a lot of panic and scare hence low numbers as people who had planned to travel to Uganda and other African countries cancelled their travel arrangements.

The world’s misperceptions and concerns about the disease have dented tourism figures in East Africa in spite of Ebola being thousands of miles away. Thankfully, there are still many who understand the distances and lack of threat, and are still travelling.

“We hope for an end to it soon, not least for the people and countries in the midst of it, but also so that we can get down to the business of building tourism up again,” Segal notes.

The ugly

As Great Lakes Safaris’ Amos Wekesa notes, the biggest challenge for tourism has been the conflicts among players and failure to think about the bigger picture. Therefore, minds never met to tackle challenges.
“Every effort was invested in undermining one another and to be honest, this curtailed growth of so many otherwise brilliant individuals, and those that make the most money in the industry decided to keep quiet, which means the young were not able to learn from them,” he explains.

The terrorist attacks in Kenya was another setback, as well as a reported planned attack on Entebbe Airport. To this, Simon Tebyasa, the managing director Harmony Safaris Limited, adds the heavy rainfall that destroyed roads and bridges, especially in western Uganda, which is en-route to most national parks.

Tourism players also point at the slight decline in clientele as a result of the poor global economy because the would-be clients had less to spend.

Efforts to improve the sector

Tourism enthusiast Godfrey Lule Ssemwanga underlines the need to promote domestic and regional tourism. This is something that is in its take-off stages as deputy chief executive officer at Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), John Ssempebwa observes.

He says 2014 has seen an awakening internally, and particularly due to the formation of tourism clusters in places such as Kigezi, Ankole, Buganda, Busoga, Eastern, Northern, West Nile, Toro and Bunyoro. “We have seen increased interest. For the first time, we have got interested in domestic tourism such as Imbalu, Bishop Hannington site in Kyando, among other places,” Ssempebwa explains.

To support clusters, UTB will create cluster-support guidelines. “UTB shall meet each cluster on its own to lay foundations. UTB will provide initial support such as general tourism training and selection of governance committees to ensure adequate private-public sector balance,” Ssempebwa adds.
UTB will then provide technical support towards product development; each cluster will be helped to adequately profile its most unique, most relevant tourism products, publicise them on a website linked to UTB’s website.
Product development support will include research, documentation, profiling, monuments, signage and product launches. Site development may include construction of cultural villages, construction of tourist stop-overs managed by local communities, etc.

This is in addition to efforts that have been dedicated to religious tourism, to places such as Uganda Martyrs Shrines in Namugongo under the guidance of among others, Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga and Fr Joseph Mukasa Muwonge.

2015 Prospects

Despite the hurdles in 2014, Uganda is definitely on the radar for a brighter 2015. John Ssempebwa, the deputy chief executive officer at Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) reveals that UTB is going to contract firms to market and represent Uganda in Europe and the rest of the western world.

“Marketing requires a focus on strategically selected target markets. Neither the current tourism policy nor UTB’s internal marketing strategy clearly prioritises specific market segments or products. Therefore, UTB intends to hire three competent firms to represent Uganda in the UK, US and Germany,” he explains.
By July 2015, he adds, at least 10,000 tourists from the UK, US and Germany should have interacted with the firms representing Uganda and should have visited Uganda, following the persuasive information received from the market representatives.

He adds that UTB wishes to begin its outreach to students with visits to schools in a bid to encourage schools to regularly visit national attractions and to form tourism clubs. UTB will take its message of the importance of tourism to hundreds of students at schools and universities.

Gary Segal, Wildplaces’ & The Uganda Safari Company’s group general manager, says they are focusing on domestic tourism and have fantastic East African resident rates and specials available. “One in particular is that we are going wild in December and January and offering East African residents a pay-two-nights and stay three nights offer at all of our lodges. This is unprecedented in such a peak season. We are doing it in order to promote our properties to a valuable market segment: the very people who live in, work in, and love Uganda,” he discloses.

Way forward
Going forward, tourism enthusiast Godfrey Lule Ssemwanga says there is need for a new museum, or work on the old one to enrich it. He suggests that a political museum be put up, of strong figures such as former president Idi Amin.

We should also look at planting more trees and conserve forests and reserves, as well as manage habitants. There is more need for community empowerment and to develop more attractions beyond wild life, plus more media relations, promotions and education,” he adds. Geoffrey Baluku, Trek East Africa Safaris’ managing director, is looking at the need for training and capacity building as vital areas that need attention in 2015.

Future prospects
He suggests: “And I am hopeful in the coming year, we can have clarity of mandate between UTB and UWA. My gut feeling is that to control some of these problems tourism in Uganda should be run under an authority, that is Uganda Tourism Authority where we shall have UTB, UWA, UWEC, Ngamba, Presto and Export Promotion Board, then we can have a CEO, Director Conservation, Director Marketing, Direction Planning, etc all under the Authority.”
He points at Rwanda Development Board as a good modal for reference.

Kenya is in the final stages of doing the same.
Tour operators are optimistic that they will see some improvement in bookings in the coming year and plan to interest more locals, especially schools where students can be encouraged to take school trips at discounted rates.

rbatte@ug.nationmedia.com

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Tourism boost as Kenya bags bid to host World Trade Organisation fete

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie, (right), her Foreign affairs and as well as Industrialisation counterparts Amina Mohammed and Adan Muhamed (standing) at an Agoa meeting in Washington DC in August. Kenya will next year become the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to host the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference. PHOTO | PSCU

In Summary

• It comes at a time when Kenya tourism is on its knees following rampant insecurity that has scared away international visitors.
• Kenya took over as host after Turkey withdrew.
• Kenya has been lobbying to have the global trade talks held here to boost the country’s image as a continental economic powerhouse.

Kenya will next year become the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to host the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference.

This is expected to yield huge benefits for tourism.

More than 6,000 delegates of the 160 member nations are expected for the event’s 10th edition.

It comes at a time when Kenya tourism is on its knees following rampant insecurity that has scared away international visitors.

The meeting will give hoteliers some respite from shrinking visitors.

It will also provide a golden opportunity for the country to market its attractions and boost its image as a holiday makers choice. Kenya took over as host after Turkey withdrew.

“In a letter to the chairman of the general council of World Trade Organisation, the Turkish Government said it stepped down in favour of Kenya following consultations with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed,” a statement from State House said Tuesday.

The decision was unanimously agreed by the organisation’s member.

Kenya has been lobbying to have the global trade talks held here to boost the country’s image as a continental economic powerhouse.

ALSO READ:Uganda takes stock of travel and tourism event.

In October, Deputy President William Ruto travelled to Geneva, Switzerland, the headquarters of the United Nations, to lobby for support in Kenya’s bid to host the conference.

He held meetings with the World Trade Organisation director-general Roberto Azevedo, acting director general to the United Nations office Michael Møller and African Union Ambassador Jean Marie Ehouzou among others.

The World Trade Organisation is the only global international organisation dealing with the rules of trade between nations. The ministerial conference is its top decision-making organ.

It is understood that a team from the organisation visited the country to assess its capability to host the meeting.

The conference adds to a growing list of international gatherings to be held in Kenya in 2015 as the country.
In November, the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism announced that Kenya had won the bid to host the 39th Africa Travel Association world congress next year. Kenya will also host Skal international Congress in Mombasa next year.

Skal is a professional organisation of tourism leaders from around the world. The conference is expected to bring together about 1,500 delegates from around the globe. The country will also be hosting the World Public Relations Forum.

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By CHARLES WOKABI

SOURCE: The East African Newspaper

ATA 39th Congress in Uganda Celebrates Unity and Tackles Challenges

Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor at CBS, combined strong opinions, laughter and solid good advice in his keynote speech at ATA’s 39th Congress in Uganda. Photo credit: Marie Claire Andrea, Africa Travel Association

The Africa Travel Association (ATA) concluded its 39th International Congress November 15th in Kampala, Uganda. ATA, a worldwide trade association renown for its promotion of travel and tourism on the African continent, works with both private business and governments to facilitate cooperation, coordination and action that will create the advancement of African travel.

The speakers at ATA’s 2014 Congress were indicative of its determination to give voice to a wide range of leaders and stakeholders in African travel and also to address recent negative news stories head-on. Government participation in the Congress started at the top, with a speech from the President of the Republic of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Museveni and later a dinner hosted by Uganda’s First Lady, Hon. Janet Museveni. Both continue to be passionate about promoting tourism in Uganda. High officials from other ATA member countries as well as U.S. Ambassador Scott Delisi also spoke at the Congress. Airline officials, tour operators, hotel executives, travel marketers, and media types were joined by social media gurus and even a “crisis communication coach” (like Olivia in TV’s Scandal) who specializes in travel and tourist destinations.

Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor for CBS News, delivered the keynote address. Greenberg’s credentials in the travel world are impressive. The author of many books, he has been star of many travel shows and documentaries. If “keynote” refers to setting the stage for what’s to come, Mr. Greenberg delivered. His frank and insightful proclamations on the travel business in general and on African nations’ huge challenge with relentless, extremely negative publicity left the room stunned. He did not limit himself to Africa, but spoke of far-reaching challenges in the travel industry; he ended with a call to action.

Greenberg began by enumerating what he hates about the travel industry:

*Brochures. He disdained trade shows where attendees collect brochures filled with words that end in “est,” like biggest, best, and so on, but say nothing at all.
*Focus groups. These are corrupted with loaded questions that do not prove anything of value.
*Branding. Another meaningless term and effort, in his opinion. “You need a product, not a brand.” He ridiculed inane labels or “catchwords” for destinations that were meaningless.

Another habit prevalent in the travel business that bothered Greenberg was the constant use of words that have no real definition, such as “luxury.”

On a more positive note, Greenberg said, after years of travelling and interviewing travellers, he had some ideas about that consumers do want. “They want simplicity, connectivity, and authenticity,” he insisted..

“The visa situation many African countries insist on is not simple for travellers,” he pointed out, “and getting from point A to B should not be an ordeal.” As far as authenticity goes, he pointed out that the first question people are asked when returning from a trip is: What did you do?

“Don’t sell Uganda,” he advised, “tell Uganda.” Tell stories to entice visitors; people will envision going home with their own stories. They are looking for “bragging rights” opportunities.

He told the ATA members and affiliates that most people in the United States are absolutely ignorant about Africa. He predicted that few could name as many as three countries from the 54 countries that comprise Africa. He named a few instances of “very old bad news,” such as Idi Amin in Uganda, that still live as they are half-remembered by some Americans. Add any fearful story (such as ebola) to ignorance plus decades-old fears and it equals disaster. Governments and businesses affected need to combat this equation proactively.

Greenberg’s insider details of the inept handling of other travel PR nightmares were hilarious, until you realized what damage they did to the travel industry. The account of the incredibly foolish handling of the Carnival cruise ship breakdown just off the Mexican coast had the room laughing, but mention of Kenya’s lack of response when terrorists took over a mall for four days brought a defensive stance from some Kenyan delegates.

“Everything is changing,” Greenberg reminded the audience, “ Airbnb, Trip Advisor, the growth of the middle class in places like India and China where new tourists will originate, and many other changes challenge all destinations competing for business.”

He advised that ATA members who wanted to grow their businesses or grow tourism in their countries to tell their stories; to sell experiences, not destinations; to get ahead of negative news proactively with their own stories, not just react feebly to incessant half-truths presented by the media, or–worse–offer the typical bureaucrat’’s reply of “no comment.”

Of course, even if African destinations can get their stories out, can sell their unique experiences and calm unwarranted fears about ebola and terrorism, challenges that they share with other parts of world remain. One of these is air transportation to some underserved destinations. Although Africa is in the process of becoming one of the fastest-growing airline markets in the world, airlines from North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa face challenges of government regulation, marketing and irregular demand.

In his opening remarks, Edward (Eddie) Bergman, Executive Director, Africa Travel

Uganda’s First Lady, Hon. Janet Museveni and Edward Bergman, Executive Director, Africa Travel Association, presented and received awards on the evening of the Patron’s Dinner and ATA Awards. Photo credit: Marie Claire Andrea, Africa Travel Association

Association, gave tribute to the 39th Congress’ official airline: Brussels Airline. He noted that some airlines had halted service to the three small west African countries afflicted with ebola but Brussels Airline has kept its service going throughout the ordeal. Bergman remarked that continued air service was essential to bringing in medical personnel and supplies to help stop the disease in those countries and therefore in countries that might be affected should the epidemic grow. Brussels Airline now serves 19 African destinations and was the first airline in 10 years to institute flights from Brussels to New York.

Recognizing the essential nature of air transport, ATA announced a special event: the inaugural ATA Aviation, Transport and Trade Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. The Summit will take place July 13-14, 2015; airlines, other travel industry leaders, governments as well as African stakeholders will gather in Atlanta. Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Delta Airline’s hub) is a co-sponsor.

During one of the many lively discussion regarding the devastating effect that the outbreak of ebola has had on bookings for future arrivals in Africa from the United States, one participant opined that this is the time that ATA must “rise to the occasion” to fight this crisis in perception and the fear mongering practiced by some 24-hour news networks.

The African Travel Association’s 39th Congress addressed this challenge on many levels. In addition to presenting ideas from experts on how to combat unwarranted fears, misguided reporting and ignorance of African geography, ATA focused on the future of travel to African destinations. Its presentations highlighted the importance of African diaspora travels, faith-based and romance travel, plus cultural exchange, all of which augment wildlife safari tours.

Speakers often played to a packed house at the Congress, and attendees enjoyed the programs presented. Photo credit: Marie Claire Andrea, Africa Travel Association

During various discussions announcements were made that highlighted increased cooperation between nations that will simplify travel for visitors. One of them was a three-country visa that would be good for Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Countries are also coordinating their efforts to stop poachers, who often cross borders to avoid punishment.

Participants enjoyed the music, dances, creative arts and foods of host country Uganda and many travelled to a few of Uganda’s amazing attractions. All of this was organized by the Uganda Tourism Board, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and the local ATA Chapter.

Members from Kenya were no doubt appreciating the hard work contributed by all of the Congress sponsors, since next year the 40th ATA Congress will be held in Kenya!

By: Connie Skoog

Africa Travel Association, http://www.africatravelassociation.org

 

The slaughter of Africa’s elephants and the illegal trade in ivory in China are “out of control”, conservationists said Tuesday, with wild elephants potentially disappearing within a generation.

Soaring quantities of ivory are being sold in rapidly growing numbers of shops in China, with over 100,000 elephants killed from 2010 to 2102, the joint report read from the campaign groups Save the Elephants and The Aspinall Foundation.

“Skyrocketing demand for ivory in China — the wholesale price of raw elephant tusks has tripled in just four years since 2010 — have sparked a booming trade in smuggled ivory that is driving the unsustainable killing of elephants in Africa,” the report read, released in the Kenyan capital.

Poaching has risen sharply across Africa in recent years, fuelled by rising demand in Asia for ivory and rhino horn, coveted as a traditional medicine and a status symbol.

The report’s authorities visited scores of shops and factories in China — the world’s main ivory manufacturing centre — comparing quantities on sale and costs.

“Every metric on the ivory trade has exploded upwards in recent years. The prices of raw and worked ivory in China, number of licensed carving factories, retail outlets both illegal and legal, items on sale, all have shot up,” it read.

“Meanwhile the weight of ivory seized and number of elephants being killed in Africa have also increased.”

The number of legal ivory stores in China shot up from 31 in 2004 to 145 last year, while the number of ivory carving factories increased from nine to 37 over the same period.

The report warns that illegal sale of ivory in unlicenced stores is growing just as fast.

Researchers said prices in China had risen for raw ivory from $750 (550 euros) per kilo in 2010 to $2,100 (1,540 euros) in 2014.

Organised crime syndicates and rebel militia increasingly use poaching to fund insurgencies, reaping the benefits of multi-billion-dollar demand.

“China faces enormous challenges in law enforcement to control the ivory trade, as the number of rich business people in the country with interest in buying ivory continues to increase,” the report added.

“Ever-growing numbers of Chinese contract workers are going to Africa and buying increasing quantities of illegal ivory to smuggle.”

SOURCE: The New Vision Newspaper

Uganda beats Spain in UK tourist poll.

Uganda is leading Spain by a wide percentage in an ongoing online opinion poll over which of the two countries is a favorite destination for tourists.

By Saturday, the poll conducted on the Guardian, UK’s website, Uganda had polled 79 percent against Spain’s 21 percent.

The poll was prompted after President Yoweri Museveni hinted on the fact that Uganda was better than most European countries, including Spain, in what it offered to tourists.

“The biggest problem with tourism is poor promotion,” Museveni said. “In Europe, people go to the Mediterranean coast. I visited Spain; it is very hot and humid in summer. I think Uganda would be a better destination than some of those destinations.”

Museveni said Uganda was a “good place on the globe where you go and have a nice life.”

It is not the first time that Spain and Uganda have taunted each other. In 2012, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy kicked off a storm when he sent a text message to his finance minister, compelling him to stand firm in the quest of better terms amidst the bailout package negotiations, reminding him that “we’re the number four power in Europe. Spain is not Uganda.”

The remark left many Ugandans incensed, with some saying that Uganda enjoyed better Gross Domestic Growth figures than Spain.

Last week, the Guardian’s website decided to put the contest to travellers, asking a simple question:

“Uganda or Spain: where would you prefer to go on holiday?”

Many people who commented on the poll said while Uganda was a good destination, its stance against gays had tainted the country’s image.

“I’d probably go to Uganda if they changed their policies toward LGBT people,” said one of the readers.
In 2012, a reputable online tour magazine, Lonely Planet, ranked Uganda number one among the top ten countries to visit.

The journal said: “After all, this is the source of the river Nile – that mythical place explorers sought since Roman times. It’s also where savannah meets the vast lakes of East Africa, and where snow-capped mountains bear down on sprawling jungles.”

However, it also warned tourists of the country that is ‘so homophobic’ and that it had tough laws against gays.

Last year, tourism became Uganda’s biggest export earner after it fetched $1.4bn in financial year 2013/2014, up from $1.1bn the year before, according to Bank of Uganda. The sector surpassed diaspora remittances and coffee.

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