The 4th International Institute of Peace through Tourism (IIPT) African Conference was held at the Kampala Serena Hotel recently.
Louis D’Amore, the IIPT founder, told Ibrahim Kasita what he thinks about the tourism industry in Uganda.

QUESTION: What do think will happen to tourism in Uganda after the conference?

ANSWER: We were honoured to facilitate the introduction of the sustainable tourism with a view to introducing this milestone legislation as a significant concrete outcome of the 4th IIPT African Conference on Peace through Tourism.
Uganda is the first nation in the world to adopt a tourism policy which is in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
We need to maintain that.
Secondly, we launched the first Martyrs Trail in Africa.
It will be a new tourism product in Uganda which will boost the economy.
The religious and cultural sites are tremendous places that will build large tourism and bring peace in the conflict areas.
We dedicated a Peace Park where we planted trees at Namugongo Martyrs Shrine for healing our wounds caused by conflicts.

Q- What should be done to promote tourism in Uganda?
- The tourism industry in Uganda is fantastic.
What we should do is to get stakeholders together, work together as a team through private-public partnership.
The churches, NGOs, the Government and the media should collaborate and work together because each of them has a role to play in order to attract and improve the tourism sector.
This is simple because the people of Uganda are friendly.
Let’s work together for the benefit of peace in tourism and empower the local communities economically through community development programmes.

Q- What role has the media played in promoting tourism in Uganda?
- One thing I have seen from the Ugandan media is adversarial reporting only. Negative reporting dominates the front pages to the back pages, which portray Uganda negatively in the international communities.
There are many good things happening in this country but they don’t get the desired coverage. Remember, Uganda is preparing for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and positive reporting is vital.
I appeal to the media to report positively on the tourism industry to build local and international tourists’ confidence and the country’s image.

Q- Anything else?
- Uganda as a tourist destination should be promoted by local and international media through positive reporting.

Reporters and journalists need to try to get the good side of stories and continue positive reporting.

They should always link their reporting with the good people and what they are doing.
This will clear Uganda’s image internationally.

Lastly, I thank the Government and private sector, the media and the people of Uganda for hosting this successful 4th IITP African Conference.