Tayebwa calls for better packaging, marketing of Uganda’s tourism products
“We should not be known for gorillas alone. Imagine he did not know that there is safari in Uganda. He first went to another country and then came here for gorilla tracking. That means we need to do a lot as a country in terms of marketing and packaging so that we are not only known for gorillas, but also other tourist attractions. We have so much more,” Tayebwa said.
Tayebwa said Okamura’s visit had exposed the need for Uganda to do more to package and promote its diverse tourism attractions to international audiences.
KAMPALA - Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has called for better marketing and packaging of Uganda’s tourism products, saying the country should not be known internationally only for gorilla tracking.
Tayebwa made the call today (August 11) while welcoming the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Tomio Okamura, at Parliament. Okamura is on a private visit to Uganda and has toured several tourist and historical sites.
Tayebwa said Okamura’s visit had exposed the need for Uganda to do more to package and promote its diverse tourism attractions to international audiences.
“We should not be known for gorillas alone. Imagine he did not know that there is safari in Uganda. He first went to another country and then came here for gorilla tracking. That means we need to do a lot as a country in terms of marketing and packaging so that we are not only known for gorillas, but also other tourist attractions. We have so much more,” Tayebwa said.
Tayebwa said Okamura, who has a large social media following in the Czech Republic, had appointed himself a tourism ambassador for Uganda and promised to use his platforms to promote the country globally.
He said Uganda has a wide range of attractions, including wildlife, cultural and historical sites, landscapes and community tourism, which should be packaged into attractive experiences for visitors.
“He (Okamura) has told me that he has appointed himself a tourism ambassador for Uganda. He said he is going to package it. He is the most followed person on social media in the Czech Republic. He has already posted some pictures, and they are trending,” Tayebwa said.
The deputy speaker said Uganda should take advantage of such international personalities to tell its tourism story and counter negative perceptions about the country.
Tayebwa urged Parliament’s Committee on Tourism to visit communities neighbouring national parks to understand their challenges and assess how tourism revenues and opportunities can improve their livelihoods.
Tayebwa also urged government to improve infrastructure around tourist destinations, particularly roads, saying poor accessibility could undermine efforts to attract more visitors.
He further called for greater involvement of communities living around national parks, saying tourism should generate tangible benefits for local people.
Tayebwa urged Parliament’s Committee on Tourism to visit communities neighbouring national parks to understand their challenges and assess how tourism revenues and opportunities can improve their livelihoods.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism, who is also the Northern Uganda Youth Representative, Boniface Henry Okot, urged Members of Parliament (MPs) travelling abroad to use their international engagements to promote Uganda as a tourism destination.
He welcomed the proposed Parliamentary Tourism Week in February 2027, saying it could help legislators become more directly involved in promoting the sector.
The State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Susan Nakawuki, announced that national parks will have free-entry days for Ugandans in September to encourage citizens to experience the country's tourism attractions.
She said Bwindi Impenetrable National Park would be excluded because gorilla tracking requires advance booking.
The minister also said individuals, including MPs, can participate in gorilla and rhino naming initiatives, with packages ranging from $20,000 to $50,000.
The State Minister for Industry, David Bahati, welcomed Okamura’s visit and asked him to promote Uganda not only as a tourism destination, but also as an investment destination.
MP Solomon Silwany (Bukhooli County Central) called for increased government investment in tourism and better roads to tourist destinations, arguing that Uganda must be more deliberate in converting its tourism potential into greater economic value.