Uganda gets Tourism Award

Uganda has been honored as a top performing National Park by travelers on the worlds’ largest site Trip Advisor. The protected area managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award, an accolade, which honors hospitality excellence and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor

It is extended to qualifying business worldwide. Only the top performing businesses listed on TripAdvisorreceive this prestigious award. To qualify for a certificate of excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of for or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travelers on TripAdvisor.

It must also have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months. Aditional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months. Dr. Andrew Seguya the executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority said “Queen Elizabeth National Park is pleased to receive a TriAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. We strive to offer our customers a memorable experience and this accolade is evidence that our hard work is translating into positive reviews on TripAdvisor.”

Alison Coup, the Vice President of the Marketing for TripAdvisor, said: “TripAdvisor is delighted to celebrate the success of business around the globe from Sydney to Chicago, Soa Paulo to Rome, which are consistently offering TripAdvisor travelers a great customer experience.”

The award provides top performing establishments around the world the recognition they deserve based on feedback from those who matter most – their customers.

Billions in tourism tax set to boost the sector

The Minister of Tourism, Ms Maria Mutagamba, said the money will go to the Tourism Development Fund.

At least $9m (about Shs22b) is expected to be raised annually from the Tourism Development Levy (TDL) tax to create alternative funding for tourism, the government has said.

The tax, which will be operationalised in the next financial year, will be levied on major areas, including hotels, food, gym, among other tourist service providers.

The Minister of Tourism, Ms Maria Mutagamba, said the money will go to the Tourism Development Fund.

“The Uganda Tourism Act provides for the minister after consultation with the minister responsible for financing by statutory order imposes a Tourism Development Levy,” Ms Mutagamba said . 
“Implementation of this section has been hampered by the existence of the Local Hotel Service Tax which competes for the same source,” she added.

She made the revelation during the inauguration of the new Uganda Tourism Board of directors at the weekend.
The board’s 2013/2014 funding will remain at Shs1.4 billion despite a funding gap of Shs17 billion from the last financial year.

The challenges
The 11 members come at a time when the board has challenges ranging from financial constraints, poorly motivated, unskilled work force to institutional capacity issues.

The board chairman, Mr James Tumusiime, said they will address the funding issue during their tenure.

“The board will take interest, especially in the Tourism Development Levy, the Tourism Fund and the finalisation of the tourism Regulations for operational using the Tourism Act 2008,” he said.

Bill Gates to track mountain gorillas in Uganda

Gates was last in Uganda in 2004 on a gorilla-tracking trip

Co-founder and current chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates is set for another visit to Uganda between August 9 and 12, sources say.

Also popular for being one of the richest people in the world, Gates’s trip here will be to track mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

An advance team to prepare for the visit has already arrived in Kisoro district where Gates and his wife, Mellinda Gates, are expected to launch their gorilla-tracking expedition.

The 56-year-old entrepreneur was last in Uganda in 2004 for his first ever visit. Then, he had come to track gorillas too.

A Uganda Wildlife Authority official in Kisoro who preferred anonymity declined to divulge more details about the visit.

Uganda boasts of being home to almost half of the world's population of mountain gorillas. There are about 300 mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The country first opened up its doors to tourists to track the gorillas at Bwindi in April 1993. Since then, Uganda's tourism industry has been substantially boosted by annual revenue from the national park tucked away in western Uganda.

By Bruce Amp

Mutagamba launches Musambwa tourism project

Mutagamba launched a 10-year general management plan for Musambwa Island tourism programme

Tourism minister Maria Mutagamba has launched a 10-year general management plan for Musambwa Island tourism programme in Rakai district.

Musambwa Island, which lies in Lake Victoria, is a breeding ground for birds that migrate from Europe and other parts of Africa and is internationally recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) designated by Ramsar Convention and Bird Life International, according to Fauna and Flora International Country representative Dr Arthur Mugisha.

The Musambwa Island General Management Plan was formulated under the Cultural Values and Conservation project implemented by Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and Rakai District Local Government.

Speaking at the launching ceremony at Rakai district headquarters Friday afternoon, Mutagamba warned the public to stop killing birds saying they have become a key tourism attraction today.

She noted that last year the tourism sector attracted a total of 1.16m tourists adding that the sector is targeting 3m tourists this year.

She said a total of 50m tourists visited Africa. Mutagamba said Musambwa Island has potential to fetch huge sums of money especially from foreign tourists because of its unique strong cultural values and rare bird species.

The cultural values prohibit sexual intercourse while women are also not allowed to become residents on the islands.

Harming any living organism on the island is not acceptable, according to Enock Ntale, the Musambwa Chairman Conservation Committee.

Mutagamba said culture and leisure tourism should be promoted. She said Uganda has over 52 tribes with different languages.

“We should learn to love and market our culture because of its uniqueness; it’s interesting to learn more about our origins,” she said.

She pointed out the Kooki Chiefdom of Rakai and the Kamuswaga cultural items are great tourism sites that can fetch income. She urged the district local government to budget for tourism in the next financial year.

She said tourism will boost the local revenue collections for the district.  Rakai district realises at least sh2b from local revenue out of their sh34b budget.

She said tourism would create job opportunities especially from the Musambwa Island project through the tour guide initiatives.

She said government will soon identify at least two homes per sub-county to operate as tourism stay homes.

“Start to improve year homes to qualify and benefit from thetourism stay homes project; your houses must have all the home basics,” she said. She said the tourism sector has received backing from the World Bank.

Mutagamba launched a 10-year general management plan for Musambwa Island tourism programme

Tourism minister Maria Mutagamba has launched a 10-year general management plan for Musambwa Island tourism programme in Rakai district.

Musambwa Island, which lies in Lake Victoria, is a breeding ground for birds that migrate from Europe and other parts of Africa and is internationally recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) designated by Ramsar Convention and Bird Life International, according to Fauna and Flora International Country representative Dr Arthur Mugisha.

The Musambwa Island General Management Plan was formulated under the Cultural Values and Conservation project implemented by Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and Rakai District Local Government.

Speaking at the launching ceremony at Rakai district headquarters Friday afternoon, Mutagamba warned the public to stop killing birds saying they have become a key tourism attraction today.

She noted that last year the tourism sector attracted a total of 1.16m tourists adding that the sector is targeting 3m tourists this year.

She said a total of 50m tourists visited Africa. Mutagamba said Musambwa Island has potential to fetch huge sums of money especially from foreign tourists because of its unique strong cultural values and rare bird species.

The cultural values prohibit sexual intercourse while women are also not allowed to become residents on the islands.

Harming any living organism on the island is not acceptable, according to Enock Ntale, the Musambwa Chairman Conservation Committee.

Mutagamba said culture and leisure tourism should be promoted. She said Uganda has over 52 tribes with different languages.

“We should learn to love and market our culture because of its uniqueness; it’s interesting to learn more about our origins,” she said.

She pointed out the Kooki Chiefdom of Rakai and the Kamuswaga cultural items are great tourism sites that can fetch income. She urged the district local government to budget for tourism in the next financial year.

She said tourism will boost the local revenue collections for the district.  Rakai district realises at least sh2b from local revenue out of their sh34b budget.

She said tourism would create job opportunities especially from the Musambwa Island project through the tour guide initiatives.

She said government will soon identify at least two homes per sub-county to operate as tourism stay homes.

“Start to improve year homes to qualify and benefit from the tourism stay homes project; your houses must have all the home basics,” she said. She said the tourism sector has received backing from the World Bank.

By Bruce Amp

Adventuring through Africa

Conroy shares a moment with new friends in Bostwana. He has ridden through 10 African countries since October 2011

A tone of disappointment hits his voice at the mention of the word plane, as though to imply he should have travelled to South Africa on a bicycle.

“I will never board a plane again, that was my last time. It inconveniences me a lot because I have to pack my bicycle and it could easily rust,” he says, his face stuck to his ‘best friend and worst enemy at the same time.

After a few weeks in South Africa, he crossed to Namibia, later moving to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya and now Uganda. Next on his schedule is Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Morocco. His ultimate goal is to visit at least 35 African countries. 
“I would have loved to go to Sudan and South Sudan, but the thought of dust from the desert puts me off. It can be hard ridding in such conditions,” he says.

“I love Africa, I have stayed here much longer than I expected, but I just don’t feel like leaving this place,” he says of the continent that has hosted him for over two years now. “I am shocked by the way the west makes Africa appear a continent of misery. Some people actually think Africa is one country. I am going to write a book about my experience in Africa to correct their misconceptions. I think the greatest thing about Africa is not the tourist attractions but its people,” he speaks on and on, looking me straight in the face. He utters every word with a sense of nostalgia.

He will not allow me to disrupt the free flow of his memories of Africa, “I was in Zimbabwe and people came and thanked me for not believing the bad things the west says about that country. Amazing people I tell you, with extreme resilience.” With all his numerous encounters in the past and those that lie ahead, Conroy is not about to stop riding. Not with the many people he claims give him feedback of how his life story has compelled them to do something different.

“I met a guy working with Nasa, in charge of the last stages of space air stations launches and shared my story. He sent me a message saying he resigned from NASA and sold off his property to pursue his dream in New Zealand. Such stories inspire me,” he says. He emphasizes, “I am not dying to enter the Guinness Book of world records or even prove a point. It is not a competition, I am only doing something that makes me happy. I might wake up tomorrow and say I have lost interest. I am done with it.”

The cyclist who hopes to ride to the Middle East, Europe and Asia, admitting he suffers immense pain of body and mind in pursuing this form of happiness, only affirms the passion and resilience every word and step he makes points to. The reason why, if and when he runs out of money, he will, “trade skills with currency, get a small job so someone can give me food and accommodation before I proceed.” He shares his experiences on his website- Tired of I.T.com. If that is what it takes for a man to live a life outside the conventional and achieve fulfillment, then Dave Conry, like his magic bicycle, one can say, might just be the only man of his kind in the world.

By Bruce Amp

Plans to expand airport begin

Airport officials say they have the options of either expanding the airport within a short time, or build another international airport.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has embarked on the process of developing a $300,000 (about Shs770 million) master plan to expand Entebbe Airport to accommodate the increasing air traffic flow.

The Shs770 million will be used for paying a consultancy firm to develop the plan.

CAA spokesperson Ignie Igundura said there are challenges of the airport lounge getting full during peak hours (1pm to 3pm), and increasing traffic due to visitor growth that necessitates the airport to be expanded.

CAA traffic statistics show that there were 1.2 million visitors in 2012 who used Entebbe International Airport, but the number is increasing considerably.

“We were cleared by the Public Procurement Disposal of Public Assets to use the International Civil Aviation Organisation, get the best international consultancy firm to develop the master plan to guide us on the expansion project,” he said in an in interview last week.
Mr Igundura said they have already obtained 66 hectares of land near the airport to build a bigger and modern cargo terminal, an aircraft maintenance centre, relocate the current fuel farm from near the building terminal and expand the current terminal building.

He said they want to reseal the main runway, construct an underground car parking area and construct a new Control Tower.

The State minister for Transport, Mr Stephen Chebrot in an earlier interview said the increasing passenger growth is because of intensive marketing by tourism and investment fora that necessitate the airport to be expanded because Entebbe is becoming a regional hub.

By Bruce Amp