Industry players fault marketing strategy

Poor marketing strategy and dilapidated access roads to major game parks remain setbacks to Uganda’s quest to improve tourist numbers.

This is despite government investing in big infrastructure projects like the overhaul of the Entebbe International Airport and the Kampala-Entebbe Express Way aimed at easing travel to the capital Kampala.

Another project is the Busega-Mpigi Express Way, which lies within the Northern Corridor —a regional transport route that connects Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan to Kenya’s Mombasa port, and also links tourists to Lake Mburo National Park and Mgahinga National Park, which hosts Uganda’s mountain gorillas.

Industry players are now raising questions over the country’s tourism marketing strategy.

“Most tourists arrivals are from Austria, Germany, the Scandinavian region, France and Belgium, with a few coming from the US and Britain. But the government’s marketing strategy remains focused on Britain and the US,” said Sam Mugenyi, the owner of Kibaale Guest Cottages in the Kibaale Forest National Park.

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Mr Mugenyi also called on government to review the tax levied on tourist lodges in order to cut accommodation fees.

William Lalobo, managing director of Heritage Safari Lodge located in Murchison Falls National Park said access roads within the parks need to be fixed.
Poaching and human wildlife conflict have also depleted the lion population.

The public relations officer at Uganda Wildlife Authority Jossy Muhangi said it had stepped up policing work and game meat market intelligence gathering.

“The courts have also been supportive by issuing heavy fines and sentences against wildlife offenders,” he said, adding that the authority had introduced night game drives to enable tourists to enjoy a glimpse of hunting lions.

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