By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The commissioner of tourism development in the ministry of tourism, wildlife and antiquities, Vivian Lyazi has called for responsible action and environmentally sustainable tourism in the face of growing climate fragile.
Speaking at the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) stakeholders press conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Lyazi said that Uganda is taking bold steps towards sustainable and environmental conservation, urging stakeholders in the tourism industry to embrace government initiatives to protect the environment.
“Let us all be responsible and sustainable because the climate is so fragile. We are losing out,” Lyazi stated, reflecting growing concerns over climate change impacts in Uganda.
He highlighted the ongoing initiatives such as reforestation efforts, which are central central to Uganda’s environmental agenda.
“We are moving into reforestation. “We are talking about protecting our environment for us and the future. I think that is very important,” he added.
Uganda has recently committed to ambitious tree-planting programs and sustainable tourism practices as part of its contributions to global climate targets under the Paris Agreement.
He urged Ugandan citizens to promote local tourism and tell Ugandan stories..
Stephen Sanyi Mbasaba, Director of Tourism and Business Development at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), revealed available investment opportunities in the tourism sector for interested parties.
“To overcome some of the challenges we’re facing, we partnered with the Uganda Investment Authority, whose mandate is to attract investors. We decided to leverage their expertise by providing them with identified locations and outlining our requirements before reaching out to potential investors.”
“Once we reach an agreement with investors, we offer them concessions ranging from 15 to 25 years. We successfully implemented this approach last year, and we have already submitted a second batch of investment opportunities to the Uganda Investment Authority, which will be announced soon.”
