Tourism association spotlights opportunities

March 30, 2017 in Business, Trade & Industry, Travel & Tourism by Editor

Plans are to diversify Uganda’s attractions in a way that will make the country more competitive in international tourism.

March 30-Uganda Tourism Association, with help from TradeMark East Africa (TMEA), has unveiled four products interested investors in Uganda’s tourism sector can develop as new businesses.

“We are delighted to hand over ready products that investors in Uganda’s tourism industry can choose from. Half the work is done and we look forward to working with Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) into sourcing for partnerships from the public and private sector and marketing the products,” Moses Sabiti, the Country Director for TradeMark East Africa said.

The products were developed under the $405,650 Uganda Tourism Export Capability Project funded by the Department of International Development (DfID) through TradeMark East Africa.

The tourism body estimates that the overall total cost of bringing the products to life will be about $11.8 million and it hopes to raise the money from private and public investors. DfID is the British government’s arm for providing international aid.

“We believe the success of these products will create employment for the youth,” he said. TMEA is a not-for profit company set up in 2010 to support the growth of East African trade – both regionally and on the international level.

The association also anticipates that the new products will bring an additional 270,000 new tourists annually in addition to creating employment opportunities and also broadening tourism revenue. Boniface Byamukama, the President for Uganda Tourism Association asked private and public partners to work together to make the ventures a success.