Uganda Tour News

Uganda has been suspended from the World Tourism Organisation for failing to pay membership fees arrears.

The Arrears which ammount to $260,000 (about sh419m) must be paid before the country is allowed into the organisation again.
Tourism state minister Serapio Rukundo said the finance ministry had promised to release the money. Uganda is also yet to clear its membership fees to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa ($380,000), the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism ($100,000) and UNIDO ($11,000).

Uganda has been promoting the sector in a campaign called Gifted by Nature and Tourism is Uganda’s highest foreign exchange earner.

By Kisibo Jackie
Uganda Travel News.

Local agents will charge service fee Starting early next year, due to the Soaring fuel prices.

The travel agents who will soon agree on the best rates to charge their customers have agreed that this is the only option for them to adapt and remain relevant in the industry with the onslaught of zero commission coming to the Ugandan market.

The charges which are signaling a new wave of competition in the industry are due to the increased fuel which is forcing airlines to cut commissions to travel agents.

This comes on the heels of the June declaration by International Air Travel Association (IATA) for100 per cent e-ticketing for all airlines a move that has seen some travel agents struggle to upgrade their systems and reduce stuff.

By Kisibo Jackie

Uganda travel news

Well wishers will on friday 15th August 2008 be hosted to a lavish birthday party at The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) for Zakayo the alpha male, and the oldest chimp turning 44 years.

Several activities which include Entertainment have been organised for both the young and the old, which also include the opportunity to see the different wildlife at the zoo.

According to UWEC, Zakayo was found in June 1972 at Semliki in Bundibugyo and was hand-raised. The chimp was later surrendered to the Entebbe Zoo on June 10, 1976. He has sired eight off springs and is very protective and very fatherly towards the younger chimps. He is always the last to go out in the mornings and the last to get inside in the evenings.

Uganda has a number of national parks, were chimpanzees can be viewed in their natural habitats. Different parks include Kaniyo Pabidi in Murchison falls national park., Kibale national park.
which harbours the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa, and Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth National park..

By Kisibo Jackie

, Uganda wildlife safaris

All manufacturers of soft drinks and exporters will be asked by government to include the “Uganda, Gifted by Nature,” logo on their packages.

The move is being don in a bid to to promote the country as a tourism and investment destination.

The tourism, trade and industry minister, Janat Mukwaya said that the practice would start this year, and is aimed at reinforcing the promotion of a positive image and branding of Uganda.

In October 2005, President Yoweri launched the “Brand Uganda Campaign” at the Speke Resort Hotel Munyonyo, where he unveiled the logo, which read: “Uganda, gifted by Nature.”

By Kisibo Jackie

Uganda Tourism News

The 11th annual Rwanda International Trade Fair (RITF2008) will kick off from August 28 to September 8 in Kigali.

The event, organised by Rwanda Private Sector together with the Ministry of trade and industry brings together local and foreign exhibitors from all countries including Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The exhibition is aimed at bringing business people together in order for them to interact and network as well as open up to other business world by giving an opportunity to companies to launch new products and get new customers.

The exhibitors will be grouped in six ‘sectoral villages’ ranging from ICTs, International pavilion, industrial, services, general trading and small and medium enterprises. Registration started early May and as of last week, out of 500 stands available, 320 had been booked, majority being occupied by local companies. Last year, the fair attracted an average of 323 companies in which 227 were local, 96 international.

By Jackie Kisibo

East African safari News

Masaka-Mbarara highway reconstruction will son start from near the Masaka bypass junction and stretches to Mbarara town, and is expected to be completed within three years.

The 150km road project is undertaken by Reynolds Construction Company of Nigeria and supervised by AIC Progetti at a cost of sh237b.

This reconstruction has been welcomed by Uganda’s tourism industry as the road links to some of Uganda’s major national parks and tourist sites including Bwindi Gorilla Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. famous for Gorilla trekking, Queen Elizabeth National park, home of the famous tree climbing lions as well as 10 primate species including chimpanzees and many more,
Lake Mburo national park, with big herds of wildlife and For birders, this is one of the best places to find African fin foot and papyrus bush shrike. This road is also the main route to Rwanda which is another famous tourist destination for gorilla tracking at
parc de Volcans

John Nasasira the minister of works said that the Masaka-Mbarara highway is a central section of the Northern Corridor, which links the economies of East Africa and the Great Lakes region with the Indian Ocean. The European Union (EU) has contributed close to sh230 billion to the project, making it the biggest project ever financed by the EU in Uganda.

By Jackie Kisibo

Uganda travel News

King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland took a visit to Bujagali falls and the source of the River Nile in Jinja.

The king who is on a state visit to Uganda visited the Bujagali falls which has been a sacred site for the Basoga in eastern Uganda for many generations. Located in Budondo, residents believe that the falls are the haven for the Budhagali spirit, which protects the community against dangers, calamity and enemies of the Busoga Kingdom. The natives also claim that the native doctor Budhagali sails on the falls while seated on a backcloth and also walks over the water.

The king was amazed by the story of the spirits believed to be in River Nile, and occasionally smiled at the story behind the name of the falls.

The King was treated to a more thrilling swim by two young men, and took several photographs with his family at the tourist sites. Bujagali Falls lies 10kms below Lake Victoria, which is Africa’s largest lake and the source of the River Nile. The falls are commonly known as East Africas centre for adventure travel.

By Kisibo Jackie

Uganda cultural News

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has started a mock tourism for the two newly habituated gorilla groups.

Due to the ever-growing demand of Gorilla tracking permits and safaris, the wildlife body has habituated two new groups of mountain gorillas, Bitukura (13 members) in Ruhija, Kabale district and Nsongi in Rushaga (28 members) in Kisoro district, to enable them lose their fear of humans and in the same way cannot be harmful to humans. The groups are based in Bwindi Impenetrable national park in southwestern Uganda.

The test is aimed at testing the habituated Gorilla groups readiness to receive tourists and the mock tourism will be carried out over a period of four to six months, and involves the systematic introduction of different colours, voices, smells and different gadgets such as cameras and recorders all foreign to the gorillas. Mock tourism enables the gorillas to get used to being with people and this is the final phase of the habituation process.

The two groups will join Mubare, Rushegura, Habinyanja and Nkuringo to meet the demand of the tourists who pay USD 500 for each for a gorilla trekking permit, in order to experience the extraordinary feeling sitting in the dense rainforest knowing you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas.

By Kisibo Jackie

Uganda Gorilla safaris

During a meeting by the Egyptian delegation ministers of International Co-operation early this month, Egypt showed interest in investing in Uganda’s Tourism and industrial sector.

At the meeting which was attended by the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, the North African country agreed to form a joint business venture with Uganda to develop agricultural tourism in the tourism sector of Uganda which includes a wide range of attractions and activities.

The Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation, Mrs. Fayza Aboulnaga also discussed the future prospects of building a resort hotel on one of the beautiful beaches on Lake Victoria to boost tourism, and Mr. Museveni assured the delegates that Uganda will soon have enough power to satisfy all industrial power needs and the other power consumers.

By Kisibo Jackie

Uganda travel News

The Buganda Annual celebration of the Tourism day has been marked today under the theme “Unveiling Buganda’s Beauty.”

The three-day celebration being presided over by Buganda Katikkiro John Baptist Walusimbi as the Guest of honour is aimed at cherishing Buganda’s valuable tourist attractions which include cultural ancestral places and artifacts. The day celebrated every July 1st showcases Buganda’s rich tourism resources to the public both internationally and locally and this year, there was the unveiling of the Buganda Tourism house where Buganda’s literature, arts and crafts, pictures of past and present kings, videos of Buganda’s main events and Buganda literature, will be sold.

The Occasion saw the refurbishment of Kabakanjagala Road, the Lubiri gardens and the completion of the Bulange tourism office which is to help tourists visiting Uganda easily access Buganda’s tourism sites by providing tour necessities like maps and directories. Some of the Buganda sites include the Kasubi and Wamala Royal Tombs, Naggalabi coronation site and other Buganda tourist sites

According to Buganda Kingdom Tourism Minister Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, construction of Buganda Museum which will have many of Buganda’s Historical monuments and artifacts will commence.
Uganda has a wide range of attractions and activities including Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Chimpanzee trekking, wildlife viewing, Birding, nature walks and game drives, at the different national parks like Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale, Lake Mburo, semliki and Mgahinga national parks.

By Kisibo Jackie

Tourism Uganda