Bunyoro tourism expo due
May 29, 2013
Bunyoro is now famous for oil exploration, but there are many other attractions in the region, particularly tourism. Next month, Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom plans to showcase its beauty, culture and natural endowments in a tourism, trade and agriculture expo from June 10 to June 16.
By Carol Natukunda
Bunyoro is now famous for oil exploration, but there are many other attractions in the region, particularly tourism. Next month, Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom plans to showcase its beauty, culture and natural endowments in a tourism, trade and agriculture expo from June 10 to June 16.
The expo will coincide with this year’s Empango celebrations, which are due on June 11. Speaking to Sunday Vision recently, the kingdom’s minister for tourism, Apollo John Rwamparo, said there was need to ensure that young people know their culture.
“Many times, the Empango celebrations are held in one day and people go away. We want to do this before, during and after the celebrations. We want to show a relationship between culture and conservation. We also do not want some of the simple things like the orunyege dance to disappear,” Rwamparo said.
Two conferences are also slated to take place concurrently with the expo; tourism and oil/gas and investment conferences, on June 10 and 12 respectively.
The kingdom is comprised of Kibaale, Bullisa, Masindi, Hoima and Kiryandongo districts. Some of the famous natural resources include Murchison Falls National Park, Karuma Game Reserve and Bugungu Forest.
“We have enormous potential to turn the region into a major tourist attraction, trade hub and food basket for Uganda and the neighbouring countries,” Rwamparo noted.
The expo, to be held at Hoima Boma Grounds, is expected to attract 200 exhibitors and over 100,000 showgoers. The exhibitors include Uganda Wild Life Authority and Uganda Tourism Board.