You in 'Vision' have echoed our views!

SIR-As chairman of the Uganda Tourist Board, I have an interest in your paper's coverage of the unfortunate incident in Murchison Falls National Park. This has been a great contribution to the restoration of confidence in tourism in this park, more specifically, your editorial "Help the Tourist Industry" on April 10. This is what the board has been trying to relay to journalists and the tourism fraternity. Tragedies such as the Pakuba incident happen everywhere in the world in a variety of ways and they are not necessarily peculiar to Uganda. It is also true that many more tourists die from tragic accidents than through encounters with "rebels". I wish to commend the European couple that held their wedding at Paraa Safari Lodge and Just Kicking Sports Bar and Sambiya River Lodge that organised a successful fishing gala at Murchison Falls National Park the same weekend. This attitude will go along way in helping the recovery of tourism to the area. It is true that the Government needs to give more incentives to the tourism. For instance, VAT exemption on tourism and related activities would be a welcome relief to the industry. The board's promotional budget is under-funded. In my view, this would relieve the board's tourist budget. Peter Kamya Chairman, Uganda Tourist Board