Tourism kicks back to life

TOURISM|

As Entebbe International Airport opens October 1, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)predicts that the country is bound to lose $5m (about sh18b) in revenue during the COVID 19 Pandemic season that began in March 2020.

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) CEO Lilly Ajarova concurs, noting that nothing is going to be the same again. However, she adds that fortunately tourists want to resume going to their dream destinations.

"Good enough UTB and the entire tourism fraternity are not sitting on their laurels as the old adage has it," says Ajarova. "We have Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) put in place by the Ministry of Health."

Ajarova welcomes guests to track gorillas, watch birds and have adventure in Jinja but on very strict measures.

Hotels have been given a different category of SOPs suitable for their trade just like transporters.  The guests are supposed to sanitize, take temperature reading, and wash hands as regularly as possible.

"Tourists need to test for COVID-19 within 72 hours before arrival in Uganda," asserted Ajarova.

"Besides that, when commuting to any destination they ought to occupy 50 percent of the carrying capacity of the: boats, vehicles and aero planes to enable social distancing."

The opening up of the aviation means of transport coincides with the World Tourism Day celebrations in Fort Portal, a destination also known as the Primate City among travellers. It boasts of more than 10 types of monkeys jumping from one tree ranch to another while pulling faces.

The Great Lakes Safaris director/presidential advisor on tourism Amos Wekesa says Uganda remains a must destination for gorilla trackers who save more than 50 percent on similar competing destinations offering the same attraction like Rwanda and war torn DR of Congo.

"Tourism was the first COVID-19 causality and is likely to be the last to recover from this global threat," stressed Wekesa. "But Uganda still has its niche in gorilla tracking, bird watching, scaling mountains, and lots more."

The Association of Uganda Tourist Association Organization (AUTO) chairman Everest Kayondo says the opening up of passenger flights is good for the industry but barring the drivers, guides, and rangers from getting close to the guests is unworkable.

"The guides spend more hours with the guests telling them about what appeals in Fort Portal, Kidepo Valley National Park, Jinja or Bwindi Impenetrable Forest," said Kayondo. "There is person to person contact in the trade that is inevitable much as most of the communication is digital."

On a happy note, the senior spokesperson of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA)Bashir Hangi says the gorillas have reproduced during the lockdown as they have never before.

"Uganda boasts of more than five babies since the Lockdown in March," said Hangi. "This is a record reproduction since Gorilla Tracking got global acclaim. It is evident that the habitat is conducive for humanity's closest relative."

This comes at a time when President Museveni in a national address, recently said the country is economically crippled and cannot afford further lockdown anymore.

Religious tourism fans are also on the edges of their seats, eager to resume visiting popular destinations like Namugongo Shrines, Bishop Hannington site in Mayuge, Bahai Temple in Kanyanya, and the Qaddafi Mosque at Old Kampala.

"To prevent infection, we avoid crowds but every worship center must have a congregation of not more than 70 worshippers for a start," guided Museveni. "The restriction will be relaxed as we study the ways of our enemy - the virus."

Meanwhile, domestic tourism enthusiasts have had agro-tourism injected with a new shot of adrenaline in Mbarara where families are challenged to keep their children from harm's way and keep them busy.

"We have agro tourism incubation hubs in Mbarara where farmers are being taught how to exploit their space by planting vegetables and rearing livestock on a small scale," said Dr. Alex Ariho. "UTB has been instrumental in linking us with other ministries like that of tourism, agriculture, and water to have an agro-tourism focus in mind."

Consequently, there is a food museum in the making where traditional farming tools, cuisines, and wines will be documented and showcased. 

Edmund Bashasha, a farmer in Bushenyi is constructing banda shelter to accommodate guests in the rural area endowed with fresh air, eye-grabbing panoramic views, and organic foods, wine, and crafts.

"It is time Bushenyi got its share of the tourism cake," said Bashasha. "There are people who consume sugar, coffee, and ice cream but do not know what a sugar cane, coffee tree, or cows looks like. We are bridging the gap here."