Vision Group wins big at tourism awards

By Steven Odeke

The first Tourism Excellence Awards organised by Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) alongside other tourism organisations on Friday saw Vision Group bag three media awards on the night, at Kampala Serena Hotel.

The glitzy event started off at 8:30pm local time as soon as the chief guest, Prime Minister Dr. Rukahana Rugunda, had taken his seat.

Starting off the event was comedian Patrick Idringi Salvado who loosened the atmosphere with his jokes on tourism. Thereafter, media personality Flavia Tumusiime, the night’s host, started ff the award-giving session.

Tourism folks Amos Wekesa and Barbarah Adoso took home the sector’s best male and female personalities respectively while Vision Group team, The New Vision, journalist Solomon Oleny and Bukedde TV’s Uganda Ekkula program scooped the Best Tourism print (newspaper), Best Tourism journalist and Best tourism program on TV, respectively.

On his part, PM Rugunda urged Ugandans to embrace tourism as a collective effort and market it everywhere.

“It is our duty as the people of Uganda, as media and as friends who are associated with the country to publicise, to let the world know that Uganda has substantial offer in tourism,” he said.
 

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“Let’s take it as everybody’s duty to promote tourism in Uganda. Let us not wait for anyone. Government has no doubts about the potential of tourism and is more than ready to give support to the sector because investing in the sector is investing in a very profitable business for the country.” 

Meanwhile South African singing duo Mafikizolo took to stage at 10:30pm and took guests through a rollercoaster of songs like Khona, Emlanjeni and Qwela Qwela. But it is their 2007 song Ndihamba Nawe that stirred everyone to sweat off dancing.
 

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The night ended at midnight, sealed off as great time for everyone.

 

The award winners
 

• Best Tour Operator-Great Lakes Safari

• Best Tour Operator International-Matoke Tours

• Best Airline-Brussels Airline

• Best cultural Centre- Igongo Cultural Centre

• Best Male personality – Amos Wekesa

• Best Female personality – Barbarah Adoso

• Best Supporting agency – UNDP and World Bank

• Best conservation Personality– Ashley Byaruhanga

• Best General Safari guide – Deogratius Muhumuza

• Best Tourism Print media (Magazine) – The Eye magazine

• Best Tourism Print media (Newspaper) – The New Vision

• Best Tourism destination – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park

• Best Tourism Journalist – Solomon Oleny (The New Vision)

• Best Tourism Digital Media – Diary Of A Muzungu

• Best Conservation Institution Agency/Organization – Uganda Wildlife Education Centre

• Best Tourism Program on TV – Uganda Ekkula (Bukedde TV)

• Best Luxury Hotel - Chobe Safari Lodge

• Best Mid-Range Hotel - Bunyonyi Overland Resort

• Best Budget Hotel - Red Chilli Rest Camp

• Best Camp Site - Ntoroko Game Lodge

• Best Home Stay - Tinkas Home Home stay

 

 

Take a look . . .

 

 

The Best Luxury Accommodation award went to Chobe Safari Lodge . . .

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 . . . on a well-attended night

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Best Camp Site Award was presented to Ntoroko Game Lodge

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Wondering why these guests are enjoying showing their pearly whites?

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Here's why . . . comedianne Anne Kansiime. She was busy tickling them with her comical ubiquitous stage presence

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But Kansiime was not the only point of attraction. These lovely tourism beauties also were . . .

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Meanwhile, while the Best Tour Operators International award went to Matoke Tours . . .

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  . . . a clearly elated Amos Wekesa gladly received the Best Tourism Personality Male award

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  By the way, who won the Supportive Agency Award? Take a guess . . . uhm . . . er . . . OK, don't sweat.

It was UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)

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The Best Tourism Destination award was presented to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

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Yet that was not all the night could offer. New Vision's Solomon Oleny was awarded the Best Tourism Journalist accolade

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And the Best Tourism Digital Media award was presented to Diary of Muzungu by Charlotte

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The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) were also winners on a colourful evening, scooping the Best Conservation Institution award

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Vision Group bagged more: Best Tourism Program - TV award went to . . . Uganda Ekkula that airs on Bukedde TV

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Ishasha Community Uplift Group emerged the winners of the Best Community Tourism Initiative

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Meanwhile, in-between the award-giving ceremony, guests were treated to a cocktail of stage performances, including Ugandan musician Maurice Kirya's

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Ugandan muscle man Ivan Byekwaso also put his massive Samson-like muscles on display, alongside his agent Jackson Pemba. The bodybuilder won the Natural Bodybuilding World Cup earlier this month.

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Kampala Serena Hotel took the Special Recognition award

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Then came the Mafikizolo performance . . .

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South African singing duo Nhlanhla Nciza and Theo Kgosinkwe did what they do best: entertain

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An evening well-spent . . . if you were there!