Tourism Board recognises, awards budding travel writers

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Michael Turyakira, a budding tourism writer, was awarded a timeless plaque accompanied by a cash prize of sh500,000 and a bevvy of gift hampers after he emerged as the best travel writer for 2024 under the Uganda Uncovered travel writing competition. 

The annual travel writing competition, which started in 2021, is organised by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in conjunction with Uncovered Travel Initiative Africa, an organisation that specialises in tourism promotion and destination marketing.

Turyakira was followed by Winnie Nakiboneka, who bagged sh300,000, and Bushirah Nalutaaya, who came in third, winning sh200,000. All the top three writers were also awarded brand-new mobile phones from Itel Phone Company and an all-expenses-paid trip to Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary, an island located on Lake Victoria.

Winnie Nakiboneka, a medical officer at Lubaga hospital emerged the second best travel writer, winning sh300,000, a brand new mobile phone, certificate, gift hampers and a fully paid for trip to Ngamba island. (Photo by Julius Luwemba)

The awarding ceremony, which was held on January 31, 2025, at the UTB offices in Kampala, also recognised the top 20 travel writers with certificates and an assortment of gifts.

Bushirah Nalutaaya emerged in the third position, winning sh200,000, a brand new mobile phone, certificate, gift hampers and a fully paid for trip to Ngamba island. (Photo by Julius Luwemba)

Presiding over the awarding ceremony, Bradford Ochieng, the UTB deputy chief executive officer, praised the initiative of travel writing competitions, saying that many Ugandans have picked interest and highlighted the beautiful endowments of their country. 

"Our role as UTB is to market this country. We are therefore delighted that many people have not only toured Uganda but also gone ahead to write about its beauty," Ochieng expressed.

He further noted that Uganda is gifted with many natural endowments, including wildlife, diverse raw cultures, landscapes, and a beautiful climate. "It can surely take so many years for someone to uncover all such wonders, but we are glad that the travel writing competitions have brought many young Ugandans on board to help uncover those wonders and document them as well," Ochieng added.

Bradford Ochieng, the UTB deputy chief executive officer addressing the top 20 travel writers of the year 2024 at the UTB offices on Friday, Janaury 31, 2025, during the awarding ceremony. (Photo by Julius Luwemba)

Irene Allen Namisango, the team leader under Uncovered Travel Initiative Africa, said the travel writing competitions were launched in 2021 when the whole world was just recovering from the first wave of COVID-19. 

"We wanted to encourage especially Ugandans who had been fatigued by the lockdown to get out of their houses and tour their beautiful country. We also wanted to encourage them to tell beautiful stories that could keep attracting more Ugandans to travel," Namisango narrated.

She noted that more people have since been participating in travel writing competitions. "From the 54 participants in 2021 to 317 last year, the number of participants has astronomically increased, which indicates that many Ugandans are thirsty to tour and narrate their own experiences in a captivating way," Namisango added.

Turyakira, who won the latest travel writing competition, said it was his second time participating. "In the 2023 competitions, I was recognised among the top three writers and had my articles in several magazines and websites. I gave it another chance and feel so glad to have emerged as the overall winner this time," he expressed.

Simplicious Gessa, the UTB public relations manager, revealed that there is enough space in several magazines, newspapers, blogs, and websites for tourism content. "Imagine those many years ago, if we had people who could write our own stories, we would not grow up learning how some foreigners discovered our own natural wonders such as lakes and rivers," noted Gessa.

Some of the top 2020 travel writers of the year 2024 having photo moment with Michael Turyakira the overall winner and Rachael Akidi the Miss Tourism for Karamoja region. (Photo by Julius Luwemba

Reciting an adage that, "Until a lion learns how to write, a hunter will always come out with a good story," Gessa said that if Ugandans do not tell their own stories, someone else will twist the narrative, leaving the country disadvantaged. He, however, expressed optimism over the increasing number of Ugandans participating in tourism and travel writing, saying Ugandans are now interested in telling their own stories from their own perspective.

On behalf of the partners and sponsors of the travel writing competition, Juliet Nalubega, the Human Resource Manager of the Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC), expressed commitment to publishing a magazine that will provide a platform for all writers to tell their tourism stories. "UPPC is venturing into tourism, whereby we are in the final stages of setting up a museum in Entebbe. Therefore, our partnership with Uganda Uncovered remains a symbiotic one where we complement each other's efforts in promoting Uganda as a desired tourism destination," Nalubega stated.

Other writers who made it to the top 20 list include Titus Nsubuga, Collins Mark Katamba, Jacqueline Penina Babirye, Isaac Namanya, Alex Kayola, Irene Chosen Akellot, Precious Mbabazi, Joel Kibirango, Canine Safaris, Racheal Matsiko, Gilian Ninsiima Mubangizi, Amos Mbyemire, Beatrice Naigaga, Dinah Kansiime, Jacky Phiona, Jannat Nakasanje, and Timothy Ogwok Ogwok.

The 2024 judges for the travel writing competition were journalists Gerald Tenywa and Edgar Batte and Rebecca Nyakairu, the UPPC public and corporate affairs manager.