TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ESSENTIAL FOR JOB CREATION

The investment in tourism development is still seen as a viable venture that should be at the center of the Government along with the private sector to ensure the creation of jobs that would in turn reduce the nation’s percentage of unemployment and spur national development.
It can be noted that tourism and travel industry is listed among the expansive and vibrant industries thriving in the global economy.  The apparent developments on the continent of Africa indicate that tourism continues to attract investment both at regional and international level and the returns on the tourism investment still stand on top of others at global scale.
The development of niche tourism has proved successful such as gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and the rate at which tourism investment has been increasing in the gorilla highlands is considerably high. The range of safari lodges have been constructed, park rangers recruited, tour companies opened, stop centers developed among other aspects that have in turn created god number of jobs for the natives and the foreigners as well.
Fortunately, tourism is an open sector that is actually more private sector driven than public. In this case, a harmonious investment climate needs to be created by the government to stimulate rapid investment by the private companies and individuals. Essentials like favorable road network, peace and security, favourable taxes, communication infrastructure along with other required infrastructure and incentives need to be put in place to enable the private sector thrive successfully. Aspects like promotion of viable business models, new technologies, legislation, institutional mechanisms, policies and regulation are still considered very significant in leveling the ground for tourism investment other than the finances themselves.
The 2011 report of World Bank indicated that the tourism sector accounted for one of every 20 jobs whether direct or indirect in the Africa’s Sub Sahara and notably among the very few global industries where women feature very well as managers and employees. This therefore gives tourism as an all inclusive sector that can favour the development of the community as a whole.
Uganda still features an investment gap in her tourism sector. The up country accommodation is not enough evidenced by total absence in the peak season which requires the Uganda safari undertakers to book far in advance meaning that the later can easily lose out. Besides accommodation, tourist transportation is still inadequate with absence of standard buses to operate transfers on long routes and coach tours. The stop centers along the major routes to various destinations are still not enough to the travelers on safaris and tours in Uganda. All these are areas worth investing in and enhance job creation.

UGANDA AND KENYA SUMMIT TO CURB THE POACHING OF ELEPHANTS IN AFRICA

The leaders of Africa along with other wildlife enthusiasts are crafting a new path which the African people will be at the forefront of saving elephants - one of the famous Uganda Safari products from poaching and eventual extinction in the wild.
The coalition also known as the Giants Club stands as a selection of African leaders joined by the entertainment and business gurus aimed at preventing the extinction of African elephant. The Giants Club consists of countries of Uganda, Gabon, Kenya and Botswana which are among the main elephant dwelling areas in Africa prompting the world travelers to plan travels to them including safaris to Uganda.
In a bid to take this conservation move forward, the Presidents of these mentioned countries have arranged a two day meeting which has commenced today 29^th April 2016 in Nairobi Kenya.  President Museveni is noted to have been the first leader in the East African Community to second the initiative of the Giants Club in the month of July 2015 and has since then been at the conservation forefront. The elephant population in Uganda is noted to have risen from 700 - 800 in 1980s to about 6,000 elephants according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) noted that in the year 2013, over 20,000 African elephants were hunted down for ivory tusks and even in the year 2014, the figure is almost the same. The range of 60% of the elephant carcasses that were surveyed across the continent of Africa in the year 2014 indicated that these elephants had lost their lives in the poachers’ hands.
Cites notes that the figure above the 50% is considerably high and definitely creates decline in the elephant population and the conservation advocates anticipate that if the poaching is not put to the end, the African elephants might encounter extinction in the few decades ahead.
The Abstract Report released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics in the year 2015 puts the elephant population in Kenya at 38,000 while the report asserts that the destination Uganda is registering a success story globally when other countries are fighting with the decreasing counts. This keeps Uganda positive on the continuity of this species which form a considerable component of travel products sought after by travelers on safaris and tours in Uganda.  However, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) shows that killed elephants form the biggest part of Uganda’s illegal wildlife trade and most of this ivory is taken to China.

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UGANDA TOURISM BOARD RESUMES THE HOTEL RATINGS

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) the lead marketing agency of the Uganda Safari tour products along with ensuring their standards has embarked on another move to classify and grade hotels along with the related accommodation facilities.
The exercise conducted by the Quality Assurance Department under the Uganda Tourism Board commenced operation on 21^st March with the aim of verifying the hotels on whether they meet the minimum requirements to serve the guests including those on safari in Uganda.
The classification will follow the minimum requirements and as a result, no hotel would receive any classification without an independent assessment according to the Quality Assurance coordinator Mr. James Ssebagala.
This rating exercise is the second of its kind following the 2014 hotel rating and classification which was conducted by the same body under the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities. According the Uganda Tourism Board Chief Executive Director Mr. Stephen Asiimwe, the ongoing exercise is an inventory taking process that would definitely generate a guiding list in assessing and standardizing Uganda’s accommodation facilities.  Asiimwe further notes that hotel classification arrangement follows similar standards set by the members of the East African Community as it is stipulated in the tourism sector agenda of the integration scheme. This aims at enhancing uniformity and creating ease in selling of East Africa as a single tourist destination.
The ongoing grading covers both intangible and physical service that is expected for a hotel or any other accommodation facility in the respective category and the classification level.  The region of East Africa follows the star rating criteria with one (1) star standing for the lowest while the highest is marked by five (5) stars. However, the Restaurants and Motels differ with three (3) to five (5) and one (1) to three (3) respectively. Generally the one star facility features basic facilities with the minimum to ensure guest comfort including budget travelers on Uganda tours while the five star hotel would feature complete luxury and lush amenities considered at International level.
The East African criteria for the purposes of categorization groups hotels under the following forms; Town Hotels which are near or within town centers, Vacation hotels positioned near a holiday resort, Motels positioned along highways, Villas Cottages and Service Apartments which are commercial but located in holiday resort areas suitable for self catering clientele and Lodges and Tented Camps positioned near or within wilderness areas with plenty of fauna and flora.

SERENA HOTELS; THE LEADING HOTEL BRAND IN AFRICA

The Serena Hotels spread in the region of East and Southern Africa provide upmarket accommodation services to the world travelers including those on safaris in Uganda.  This service has made them famous and their quality of environment, facilities and service continue to elevate their chain to greater heights.
Hosted by the Diamonds La Gemma dell'Est on the extreme north of Zanzibar, the recently concluded red carpet event had counts of hundred industry leaders present when the Serena Hotels scooped a myriad of twelve (12) awards in various categories. These awards included the top award as leading Africa hotel brand at the World Travel Awards 2016 which acknowledges rewards and celebrates excellence across the tourism and travel industry globally.
The individual hotels scooped the honors with Nairobi Serena Hotel for the second time announced as the leading green hotel in Africa commemorating the chain’s commitment to environmental sustainability.  In the destination Uganda, Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa scooped the award of having the best Presidential suite in Uganda which comes on top of many other rooms enjoyed by the travelers on holiday Uganda Safaris.  The yet to open state of the art 9 – 18 hole golf course overlooking Lake Victoria will be another remarkable addition to Serena Lake Victoria Hotel.
Serena Tanzania amazingly took a count of four (4) awards with the Dar es Salam Hotel standing as the leading business hotel in Tanzania along with it having the leading hotel suite. The Zanzibar Serena Hotel positioned in the historical Stone town is the leading hotel on Zanzibar Island the best Boutique hotel in Tanzania.
In destination Rwanda, the Kigali Serena Hotel which is among the top notch accommodation facilities for travelers on safaris in Rwanda stood as the leading hotel in Rwanda for the fifth (5^th) time while Polana Serena Hotel n Mozambique became leading hotel in Mozambique and the one with leading Presidential suite in Mozambique.
Serena Hotels have indeed positioned themselves to tap into the hearts and minds of the affluent travelers including those on business, political mission and leisure. The Kampala Serena Hotel and Lake Victoria Serena Hotel are top notch facilities that provide accommodation, conferences and workshops and bouquet functions to the affluent market. The similar category on Uganda safaris and tours have always found them rewarding.

Discounted Gorilla And Chimpanzee Permits’ Season Draws Closer

Uganda also referred to as the Pearl of Africa because of her remarkable beauty and abundant biodiversity and fertility remains a point of interest to the world travelers including those interested in Uganda gorilla safaris along with the chimpanzee safaris in Uganda.
The government and its respective agencies including the Uganda Wildlife Authority devises means of neutralizing the seasonality effect which is a common challenge in the tourism sector especially in the developing countries. The rainy months of April, May and November tend to be avoided by many which affects the tourism business and puts the beneficiaries at stake including the employees.
Uganda introduced the initiative of discounted gorilla permits which has been in operation for long. The travelers that undertook gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda during them mentioned months would pay $350 for the Foreign Non Resident permit, $300 for the Foreign Resident Permit and the 150,000/= for the Citizens of the East African Community. This was in reduction from the high season price of $600, $500 and 250,000/= for the respective categories.
Now, even with the New Year, Uganda is not determined to forsake her esteemed world travelers. Though with slight changes, the country has maintained the discount for the gorilla permits and made a profound ground breaking for the introduction of discounted Chimpanzee Permit. The new discounted gorilla permit stands at $450 for the Non resident while the resident permit stands at $400. This shows that an increment of $100 was considered.
In addition, the Chimpanzee permits have been reduced by $50 putting the price in the low season months at $100. This initiative makes the chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park – the primate capital of the world affordable compared to when the permit is at $150 in the high season months.
The presence of these two offers in the mentioned months is an opportunity that can be taken advantage of by price sensitive travelers all over the world to explore the two of the world’s Big Apes in their prestigious habitats. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park features a minimum of 400 mountain gorillas and is a remarkable UNESCO world heritage site which makes it an ideal site for gorilla trekking safaris. Kibale features the largest group of the habituated Chimpanzees alongside other 12 species of primate making it an ideal destination for primatologists as well.
The interested travelers on Uganda safari can incorporate the two activities with 5 days minimum and take advantage of the discount in the forthcoming months.

Uganda Hailed For Africa Culture Promotion

The promotion of Uganda’s culture both at home and abroad as one of the Uganda Safari products has been recognized. The Georgia House of Representatives gave a credit to Uganda resulting from her role in the promoting of African heritage positively that has in turn had an influence on the Georgia residents.
The destination Uganda as explored by a section of world travelers undertaking Uganda gorilla trekking safaris, Wildlife safaris in Uganda or Uganda Cultural tours is under world recognition to be among the few countries that promote the African norms on global scale. This significant recognition was pronounced previous week during the annual African day Celebrations by the House of Representatives of Georgia State.
Erica Thomas, the Representative of Georgia State credited Uganda for the positive encouragement of the heritage of Africa that has in turn influenced the Georgia residents in their social, economic and political well-being. This according to him is a milestone to invigorating a positive relationship with the African countries.
The function which was attended by the Antlanta Chapter Board Member of the Ugandan North American Association Baker Kabanda was also presided over by the Georgia Black Legislative Caucus Chairperson Dee Dawkins Hiigler who called upon Americans and in particular of black origin to take up safaris to Africa including safaris to Uganda noting that the continent has great resources for exploration. Issues like no running water, disease and war that these people could be having in their perception of Africa are not all over as claimed.
Africa is diverse continent with so many tribal groups spread all over the continent. Uganda alone features a count of 65 tribes which have magical cultural practices and festivities that are of potential interest to the world travelers including Uganda Safari undertakers. Festivities like the Imbalu ceremony among the Bagisu of eastern Uganda where the boys transit to manhood through circumcision are magical and remarkable to encounter in Africa. Uganda has always supported cultural initiatives both within the country and overseas as they define the country, ensure heritage sustainability and attract visitors.

The sabiny culture day set

The Sabiny is among the diverse cultures of Uganda that accrue from the count of 65 tribal groups forming a ground for the lucrative cultural safaris in Uganda. Coming as the second of its kind, the Sabiny Culture Festival will run from 11th – 14th November 2015.
The Event’s Organizing Committee Chairperson Mr. Kalifani Chemutai acknowledges the occurrence of the event and notes that even the head state has been invited along with the Deputy President of Kenya William Ruto. The Sabiny Cultural Festival aims at showcasing the culture of the Sabiny people in the east of Uganda whose traditions are impressive to encounter on Uganda safaris.
The festival brings together the participants from local and international scene that joins each other to jubilate the Sabiny culture and along with cross cultural interaction which makes it relevant even for the visitors on safari in Uganda.
This follows the similar event which was the first of its kind among the Sabiny held on the 29th December 2014 which showcased the norms and general culture of the Sabiny people conducted at Kakwai Sabiny cultural center in the district of Kapchorwa.
The Sabiny Culture is unique and less explored with the greatest number of people knowing the Sabiny for their Female Genital Mutilation. The Sabiny people present a rich, impressive and remarkable cultural values and customs. They are remarkably re-known hunters and keen farmers who do various things to improve their lives.
The Sabiny people used to practice the female genital mutilation in the past but the practice is gradually phasing out as it was considered inhuman. Their marathon competency has earned them recognition not only at the national level but also at International scale. They feature considerable food types along with their preparation, the Sabiny regalia, the impressive traditional medicine and their unique way of life.
The Sabiny has presented people of national significance including the Stephen Kiprotich an International gold medalist, the Stephen Chebrot Transport Minister in the Uganda government among other notables.
The forthcoming Sabiny Cultural Day which will be the second of its kind is anticipated to bring the best of the Sabiny allowing the locals and the visitors including those on safaris to Uganda to explore the Sabiny culture in detail.