By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Ugandan tate minister for tourism, Martin Mugarra Bahinduka has castigated some Ugandans on the internet using social media to taint the image of the country which he says negatively affects tourism industry.
The minister was speaking at the launch of Ekkula Sustainable Tourism Awards at Uganda Media Centre on Thursday 16 November,2023. He said that the content available on the internet about Uganda does not market the country to the international tourism markets.
Pointing out a video of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) with a leaking infrastructure trending on social media which Ugandan social media users had mistaken to Entebbe Airport, minister Bahinduka urged Ugandans to grow the spirit of nationalism ad effectively use the internet to promote country’s tourism sector.
On Thursday 30th November, 2023 Hon. Martin Bahinduka will lead a team from Miss Uganda led by Hannah Karema and other high level tourism officials to an exciting tour of Pian Upe Game Reserve and Moroto area to explore and shine a promotional spotlight on the region to pave way for constant tourism activities in Uganda.
Speaking at the launch, Miss Uganda – Hannah Karema said that her team (Miss Uganda team) will also engage in charitable activities to the children, the elderly, women and girls in Karamoja sub-region.
“Karamoja is one of the regions with high cases of young girls vulnerable to early marriages, and I believe we can do something in the communities to help those struggling mothers, ” she said.
Isaac Jobs Rwanyekiro, CEO and founder Breath Taking Uganda one of the organizers of the tour appealed to the public to join them in this tour as a mean of promoting local tourism in Uganda.
The Ekkula Sustainable Tourism Awards is a three days event and will take place at Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve in Nakapiripiriti district between 1st December to 3rd December, 2023.
UWA Speaks on Tourists Safety
Although minister Bahinduka said Uganda has surpassed the COVID-19 tourism numbers, there have been gross insecurities against Uganda’s tourism industry. This is due to the recent killings of two UK tourists and their tour guide Eric Alyai in Queen Elizabeth National Park Kasese district.
But, Barbra Ameso, an official from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) assured tourists going to Pian Upe and those coming to visit Uganda of safety and security. She was representing the Executive Director, Sam Mwandha at the launch.
About Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve
is one of Uganda’s largest national protected areas covering an area of about 2043sq.km north of Mount Elgon and this makes it the second-largest protected area after Murchison Falls National Park.
Pian Upe reserve is situated in the Karamoja subregion of Uganda in the north eastern Part of the country in Nakapiripirit district. The reserve holds quite a number of wildlife species such as the roan antelopes cheetahs, impalas, giraffes, plain zebras, common elands among others. Pain Upe game reserve is also a haven to a wide array of bird species with Ostriches being the Unique and most sought-after bird in the park.
