Expert advises on eco-tourism
Sep 26, 2005
THE tourism sector has been encouraged to embrace eco-tourism as part of the Government’s strategy to promote sustainable development.<br>
By Doreen Kansiime
THE tourism sector has been encouraged to embrace eco-tourism as part of the Government’s strategy to promote sustainable development.
“The outline of the sustainable tourism strategy is to create strong development in the sector,†Vivian Lyazi a senior tourism officer at the trade ministry said recently.
He was addressing a bio-trade workshop aimed at promoting eco-tourism in Kampala recently.
Lyazi said Uganda was endowed with some of the richest assemblages of biological diversity in the world, including gorilla tracking, primate viewing and bird watching.
He said eco-tourism contributed $316.6m in 2004 compared to $180.8m in 2003. Lyazi said this was the largest proportion of service exports excluding remittances from overseas.
“Eco-tourism will enable the benefits of the tourist dollar to stimulate rural economies and protect the environment,†he said.
However Stanley Wilson of Uganda sustainable development programme said that Uganda should be thinking of embracing fair trade in tourism, which benefits both the tourist and the host communities.
Wilson said that Uganda was not ready for eco-tourism because it is not just about the environment but also embracing environmental friendly services and products in the hotels, transport industry, which Uganda does not have in place.
Ends
THE tourism sector has been encouraged to embrace eco-tourism as part of the Government’s strategy to promote sustainable development.
“The outline of the sustainable tourism strategy is to create strong development in the sector,†Vivian Lyazi a senior tourism officer at the trade ministry said recently.
He was addressing a bio-trade workshop aimed at promoting eco-tourism in Kampala recently.
Lyazi said Uganda was endowed with some of the richest assemblages of biological diversity in the world, including gorilla tracking, primate viewing and bird watching.
He said eco-tourism contributed $316.6m in 2004 compared to $180.8m in 2003. Lyazi said this was the largest proportion of service exports excluding remittances from overseas.
“Eco-tourism will enable the benefits of the tourist dollar to stimulate rural economies and protect the environment,†he said.
However Stanley Wilson of Uganda sustainable development programme said that Uganda should be thinking of embracing fair trade in tourism, which benefits both the tourist and the host communities.
Wilson said that Uganda was not ready for eco-tourism because it is not just about the environment but also embracing environmental friendly services and products in the hotels, transport industry, which Uganda does not have in place.
Ends