Jinja holds tourism promotion
Dec 05, 2005
THE GOVERNMENT is committed to promoting sustainable tourism to alleviate poverty, State minister for trade Nathan Igeme Nabeta has said.
By Esther Mukyala
THE GOVERNMENT is committed to promoting sustainable tourism to alleviate poverty, State minister for trade Nathan Igeme Nabeta has said.
He said the Government would support the private sector through incentives.
Nabeta expressed concern that many tourist attractions have not been fully tapped.
“We have for instance done nothing to improve the Source of the Nile, which is a potential tourist attraction to Uganda, and instead we have left it in the same state John Speke who discovered it left it. Tourism is no longer about natural beauty but about creativity,†he said.
Nabeta made the remarks while opening the Destination Uganda Tourism Expo at the Source of the Nile on Friday. The expo ended yesterday.
“Government seeks to market Uganda as a preferred tourism destination for eco-tourism, in a country known for its biodiversity, rich cultural and hospitable people. We should ensure optimal use of our resources that include bio- diversity, minimise negative ecological, cultural and social impact to achieve sustainable tourism,†he said.
The main objective of the expo was to expose Uganda’s tourism products and services to stimulate outside interest in Uganda
Nabeta said tourists had risen from 140,000 in 1996 to 512,378 in 2005. He said last year, the country earned US$320m from tourism.
THE GOVERNMENT is committed to promoting sustainable tourism to alleviate poverty, State minister for trade Nathan Igeme Nabeta has said.
He said the Government would support the private sector through incentives.
Nabeta expressed concern that many tourist attractions have not been fully tapped.
“We have for instance done nothing to improve the Source of the Nile, which is a potential tourist attraction to Uganda, and instead we have left it in the same state John Speke who discovered it left it. Tourism is no longer about natural beauty but about creativity,†he said.
Nabeta made the remarks while opening the Destination Uganda Tourism Expo at the Source of the Nile on Friday. The expo ended yesterday.
“Government seeks to market Uganda as a preferred tourism destination for eco-tourism, in a country known for its biodiversity, rich cultural and hospitable people. We should ensure optimal use of our resources that include bio- diversity, minimise negative ecological, cultural and social impact to achieve sustainable tourism,†he said.
The main objective of the expo was to expose Uganda’s tourism products and services to stimulate outside interest in Uganda
Nabeta said tourists had risen from 140,000 in 1996 to 512,378 in 2005. He said last year, the country earned US$320m from tourism.