Gulu city seeks UTB support to improve tourism services
Okwonga emphasised the need for hotel workers and tour guides to be trained on how to warmly welcome visitors, encourage tourists to taste local dishes, and guide them to explore tourism sites across the Acholi sub-region.
With the most powerful waterfalls in the world, among a variety of other tourism products, Uganda is described as the most beautiful country. (Photo by Julius Luwemba/File)
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Gulu city mayor Alfred Okwonga has called on the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) to train hoteliers and tour guides in Gulu city to enhance service delivery and improve the tourism experience in the region.
Okwonga emphasised the need for hotel workers and tour guides to be trained on how to warmly welcome visitors, encourage tourists to taste local dishes, and guide them to explore tourism sites across the Acholi sub-region.
The mayor also urged hoteliers in Gulu city to include tourism excursions on their service menus, allowing visitors to explore heritage sites, a move he believes would boost domestic tourism and benefit local communities.
According to Okwonga, the recent Oktoberfest attracted about 30,000 attendees, and within a week, more than sh3 billion circulated within local communities during the festival.
He revealed that 64 local artists from the Acholi sub-region, along with cultural dancers from Teso, Bugisu, Bunyoro, Karamoja, Alur, Madi, Lango, Acholi Labwor, and Dinka performers from South Sudan, participated in the event.
Simplicious Gessa, head of public relations at the Uganda Tourism Board, welcomed the mayor’s call for capacity building, describing it as timely and aligned with UTB’s agenda to strengthen domestic tourism through quality service delivery and regional empowerment.
Gessa noted that sustainable tourism begins with empowered local actors, adding that UTB is already working with key partners, including the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and the private sector, to roll out targeted training and skilling programmes across different regions.
Joyce Laruni, a vendor who bought Kwete brew from local producers at Labourline and sold it at Kaunda Grounds during Oktoberfest, said she earned a profit of sh200,000 in five days.
She expressed gratitude for the opportunity and wished the festival could last longer so she could earn even more.
Alex Opiyo, a crafts vendor, said his sales did not meet expectations, as he had anticipated a larger number of German visitors.