Ugandans overseas urged to invest in tourism

There are many opportunities for Ugandans living and working abroad to invest in the tourism sector especially in affordable accommodation for tourists.

Lilly Ajarova the chief executive officer at the Uganda Tourism Board said there have been many improvements in the tourism sector in the country.

Ajarova said more investments were needed in the sector that is growing. She said the overseas workers could look into tourism investments.

This was during the summer online Uganda diaspora business expo. It was organised by Ugandan Diaspora Network.

Ajarova explained that in the second wave of COVID-19, the UTB was better organised and the tourism sector was open and operating.

“Right from arrival at Entebbe Airport there are specialized vehicles picking tourists not tested and taking them to get tested. Tourists are taken to specific facilities where SOPs are being followed,” Ajarova said.

She explained that the national parks are open but community tourism activities have been stopped to protect the communities from infection.

She said that tour guides are required to have negative PCR tests done within 48 hours before engaging tourists. She said many staff and employees are vaccinated and the process was ongoing.

Ajarova noted that Uganda is a great destination for faith tourism. She cited the Bahai Temple which is the only one in Uganda. The Gaddafi Mosque, Uganda Martyrs are big destinations for faith based tourism in Uganda.

“Uganda is a great destination for honeymooners, for organic food, film location production, and videography”. “Uganda has dramatic landscapes and great mountains and water bodies for adventure experiences from boating on river Nile, snow-capped Mt Rwenzori”.

Ajarova underlined that Uganda’s tourism activities are largely outdoor-based which helps in minimizing risks of infection from COVID-19.

She said the contribution of tourism before the pandemic was recorded at 8% to GDP, fetching Uganda $1.8b annually but there is a decline. She noted that the tourism sector employed over 700,000 before the outbreak of the pandemic and this has also declined.

“The numbers will rise in coming years,” Ajarova said.

She said the country lacks facilities for accommodation for various income groups in and outside parks, destination experience, cultural centres, and canopy walks.

She said medical tourism and sports tourism was in dire need of investors. “We lack facilities and investment in sports facilities so that international people can come and train here. We need more investments in wild life sanctuaries. You can get a license/permit to run wildlife sanctuaries,” Ajarova said.

Jeff Kizito, chairman Canada Convention said Toronto is in the second phase of re-opening. They target in three weeks to go into the third and final phase of re-opening. The numbers are reduced in Toronto, recoveries are high.

“If you are to come to Toronto, get fully vaccinated. We target a physical meeting in October,” Kizito said.

An important execution mechanism for Ugandans in the diaspora to invest in Uganda will be to select certain investment projects, get shareholders, register the companies in the country and begin project implementation.

Short of implementation strategies, little action on investment by those Ugandans working abroad seeking to invest their money will not happen.