By Nakiboneka Halimah

Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

The movement of travelers and goods from Uganda to Rwanda is to be facilitated 24 hours daily starting April next year, according to the agreement made with the two neighbouring countries.  The development comes following growing traffic of both cargo and passenger vehicles crossing the two borders.

The traffic is increasing with buses leaving Kampala as early as 11pm. They arrive at Katuna before 6am. However, bus operators complain that most times “the border is closed leaving passengers to suffer in the biting cold at the borders.”

Mr. Edward Mukaya, a regular traveler between Kigali and Kampala complained,”  “We at times remain in the long queues for hours at the border for hours without customs and immigration officers in the office. These people start work at 6am which is lowering business.”

 On a good note, Mr. Gerald Nkusi Mukubu, the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) publicist, however, says the delays at the two borders are to be addressed. This means more immigration staff, customs officials and security personnel are to be recruited to facilitate the 24-hour services at the border posts.

The travelers visiting Uganda and Rwanda including tourists, will have to wait for another five months before Uganda and Rwanda start implementing the 24-hour services at Gatuna and Katuna.

“It was proposed during the East African Community Revenue Authority Commissioner Generals meeting that Gatuna-Katuna border will remain open 24-hours by April next year,” Nkusi said.

The Kigali meeting was attended by revenue bosses from Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.  Bus operators and passengers as well as tour operators who have their clients visiting Uganda and Rwanda for gorilla tracking, chimpanzee tours, cultural adventures and other safari packages in these two tourist destinations have welcomed the 24-hour service saying it is timely and another important step towards regional integration.”

The planned 24 hours operations at Katuna and Gatuna come at a time Rwanda is also planning to ease cross border trade at its border with Burundi and DR Congo.  In June this year, The Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) border posts of the member countries were supposed to operate 24 hours, with effect from September, 1, 2009.

CEPGL member states include Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo.  The members also agreed that their nationals would use identity cards as travel documents for border residents for a period not exceeding three days. Rwanda offers a 90 day visa free stay to CEPGL nationals and has the work permit waived for EAC nationals.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

The Executive Director of Uganda Wild Life Authority, Mr Moses Mapesa, had an interview with 93.3 Kfm Hot Seat talk show and answered some critical issues affecting tourism and wild life in Uganda.

Uganda Wildlife Authority  has been making headlines with the campaign ‘Friend a gorilla’ lately, what has Uganda with its endowed natural resources and wild life have to show in terms of tourism money?

With the common saying that you can only get what you bargain for, we have to bargain hard so as to get as much as we should have got despite the endowment. This is why Uganda Wildlife Authority came up with this campaign, a form of bargain where we are beseeching Ugandans. We are informing the international community that Uganda is the country that they should choose whenever they think about holidays.

How do you intend to brand the tourism industry so that we can reap maximum profit from it?

It is about branding of the country and not just in terms of tourism or the wildlife but in terms of broader products that the country has on offer. We think that we should be able to embrace the branding concept as a country and will help us market our products.

What is the biggest problem in the tourism sector?

The challenges are many in terms of security, infrastructure and even in terms of manpower development and capacity. But as I alluded, the biggest challenge has been disruption of governance. We have had good manpower capacity in the 1960s up-to 1970 but we more or less lost it and it takes time to build it back. We have had ADF and LRA disruptions, which have had a big impact on our image as a country because whereas the bigger part of this country has been stable, we have had other regions unsafe and people out there can never understand this.   

What has been failing us?

I think one big factor that we must overcome is the public image as a country. Uganda needs to stand out as a stable, safe and secure destination, which we must tell the world our selves. The days of insecurity are long gone. In all our national parks and wild life reserves, we can guarantee the safety of any visitors.

How much does the government inject in tourism?

This financial year, the government increased money allocated to Uganda Tourism Board. With UWA, we generate funds to supplement the tourism budget. This financial year, we intend to generate up-to Shs20 billion and that has been increment from the Shs4 billion in 2000.

How do you spend that money?

We work through partnerships to improve tourism infrastructure. What we have concentrated on in the last 10 years is to improve our capacity and to clearly define and market wild life reserves (and national parks). We are now moving to invest in partnerships with service providers like the transporters so that the tourist experience improves.     

Not less than $1billion was invested in the ‘gifted by nature’ campaign, what did we get out of it?

The ‘gifted by nature campaign’ had some good results. There was improved understanding about the situation in Uganda and for those six months, a lot of good information about Uganda was churned out but what did not happen was continuity. We had a break partly because of funding and partly because we get wiser as we try other things and I think we have now gotten wiser and that is why for the “friend a gorilla’ campaign, we have used internet technology like Face book and Twitter, which move has a ripple effect.

Can we have places where ordinary Ugandans can afford, since they do not have dollars?

We now have facilities in place where other Ugandans who may not go to Mweya and Para can go and comfortably stay. We have also had discussion with hotel developers to have discount depending on seasons. Mweya and Para Safari Lodges get full in high seasons and that is the time we get international visitors flocking to the parks.

During seasons like January, February and March when these places are virtually empty is the time we want to see more discount given to Ugandans.

How much do I have to pay for a night at Mweya Safari Lodge?

About Shs300, 000 or there about but there also other facilities that will cost you between Shs100, 000 or Shs50, 000. But their are other cheaper facilities. Visitation by students to the national park is free and their accommodations at the parks are highly subsidized.

What is “friend a gorilla’ campaign all about?   

We must understand that gorillas can be friends of man and indeed they are already making a contribution to mans survival through tourism and once we appreciate that we then agree that part of that habitat where they stay should remain for them to utilise for generations after all there are only 340 left in Uganda and the population of Uganda is over 30million.

By Nakiboneka Halimah

Uganda Safaris snd Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Gauff Engineering, a Germany based company has shown interest in constructing a modern inland port on Lake Victoria to handle Uganda’s exports and imports.

This was contained in a discussion between Gauff Engineering Administrator, Markus Gauff and the Vice President of Uganda, Prof. Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya.

The meeting took place at the Parliamentary VIP lounge in Kampala. Prof. Bukenya welcomed the executives of Gauff to Uganda and affirmed that the country needs such an investment to boost economic activities and trade with the neighboring countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda as well as save on the freight charges on road transport across the borders.

The Vice President pledged full government support to the investors and informed them of viable investment opportunities in other sectors like food and fruit processing.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel Guide News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

The Ministry of Tourism together with the Uganda Wildlife Authority launched a tourism marketing campaign- the first ever- that is projected to throw the presently struggling sector to the path of competitiveness. This campaign was launched on Saturday 26^th September 2009.

The campaign, “Friend A Gorilla”, that mainly focuses on online tourism marketing, will involve tracking Uganda’s mountain gorillas and other tourism related activities through internet social networks including Facebook and Twitter. All the social network subscribers will have the opportunity to track local tourism sector events online, a development UWA recently said was a shift from the use of brochures to modern technology in marketing the country’s tourism potential.

The re-known international celebrities and Hollywood actors including Jason Biggs, Simon Curtis, Nicholas Brendon, Kristy Wu and Eddie Kay were in the country to flag-off the drive in an event expected to be presided over by President Museveni.

It was however, difficult to ascertain whether the president would officiate at the event since he was still in the United States (New York) attending the United Nations annual General Assembly.

State Minister for Tourism Serapio Rukundo in a recent statement said the initiative would help raise funds that would intern be used in implementing wildlife conservation enterprises. “I wish to congratulate UWA for coming up with such an innovative strategy for fundraising and marketing Uganda as a gorilla tourism destination,” the minister said.

“The Ministry of Tourism is supportive of new and modern ways of marketing and our future strategy will be to provide funding for this.” he continued to say.

According to UWA the project is expected to raise more than $100 million (approximately Shs220 billion) - which would be used in implementing conservation programmes of the wildlife conservation body.

The programme will offer the tourism sector an opportunity to take advantage of the currently growing Information Communications Technology (ICT) industry to transition to international levels. Although the initiative has been given a nod locally, the achievements of the campaign may be realized in the long-run given the still low levels of internet connectivity both locally, regionally and in Africa.

Africa, the second most populated continent has got the least numbers of internet users and some analysts say the low numbers could bar majority Africans in supporting such online campaigns.

The launch comes in the wake of a revelation by Uganda Bureau of Statistics that the tourism industry was picking up after a slow in the last two years.Quarterly tourist arrival figures indicated the sector had registered a 29.7 percent growth.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is expecting to raise about US$100million in one year from an Internet-based tourism campaign dubbed ‘Friend a Gorilla Campaign.’ 

The campaign, which is due to be launched this week (September 26) will raise the money through the Internet and other forms of sponsorship for wildlife conservation.

“Beside the $1 that will be paid for each gorilla befriended on the internet, we expect to get sponsorships for families of gorillas from corporate companies,” said Mr. Moses Mapesa the executive director UWA.

Uganda’s tourism sector has registered significant growth over the past three years in both revenues collected and the number of visitors arriving into the country.

In 2006, Uganda registered 500,000 visitors but that number was bettered in 2007 with 700,000 visitors while 2008 saw 800,000 visitors come to Uganda. The revenue collected from tourism has also been rising. In 2006, $350 million was collected; in 2007 $450 million was collected while in 2008 $600 million was collected. It is estimated that gorillas alone contribute $200 million annually.

The rise in numbers can be attributed to improved security, facilities especially in the hospitality industry and a rich flora and fauna.

Beside these attractions, the country boasts of some rare animal species including tree climbing lions found in the Ishasha the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park and chimpanzees found in Kibale National park, kyambura gorge Queen Elizabeth national park and Budongo forest Murchison falls National Park.

Mapesa said the campaign is aimed at positioning Uganda as an up-market tourism destination to local, regional and international markets. Under this campaign, Ugandans and the international public will befriend a Ugandan mountain gorilla through internet-based social networks such as Face book, Twitter and My Space.

Anyone will be able to befriend as many gorillas as they wish and pay $1 for each of the gorilla they befriend. Each gorilla will be befriended by as many people possible.

A Global Positioning System (GPS) will be used to show the gorilla movements on a map of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park so that whoever befriends a gorilla is able to tell its movements on the map.

Uganda is home to 53% of the world’s mountain gorilla population, with the other half spread in the three trans-boundary national parks - Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in southwestern Uganda,Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Virungas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Rwandair and Ethiopian Airlines have entered into a convention agreement to boost their visibility.

Under two national flag carriers’ partnership, Rwandair will serve as the marketing carrier and Ethiopian Airlines will be the operating carrier. The Vice President Commercial of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tadesse Adane and Rwandair Chairman, Mr. Gerald Zirimwabagabo signed the agreement in Kigali, Rwanda.

Mr. Zirimwabagabo after signing said that this is a major milestone in the development of Rwandair and the airline industry in the country.

He said the small airline is looking for partnerships that will allow its clients fly beyond its destinations.

The Ethiopian carrier, according to Tadesse, seeks partners to develop and increase its market share in southern Africa, particularly the Rwandan market.

Tadesse said the airline has embarked on helping African small airlines to be competitive and boost the African airline industry.  He said currently the carrier flies daily to and from Kigali and that he hopes the new partnership will ‘greatly’ double the flights.

The two airlines are incomparable in both resources and market share but the airlines’ bosses believe they will reap from the partnership. 

Rwandair’s code share with Ethiopian Airlines came following similar partnerships with other major airlines including Brussels Airlines, and the USA- based Virgin Atlantic Airlines to boost its visibility.

The airline is also pursuing an ambitious plan to purchase two used CRJ aircrafts from Lufthansa, a Germany based carrier, with ambitions to reposition in the regional aviation industry.

Currently Rwandair is operating three aircrafts on lease while Ethiopian Airlines commands 35 aircrafts.  Ethiopian Airlines has been crowned the African Airline of Year 2009. 

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel Guide News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Air Uganda will on September 7 resume its morning flight from Entebbe to Nairobi and vise versa, which it had suspended a year ago. The reintroduction of the morning flights is expected to reinforce Air Uganda’s stature on one of the most lucrative routes in the region.

The announcement of the return of the morning flights came over the weekend as the airline introduced another aircraft to its growing fleet.

Jennifer Musime Bamuturaki, Air Uganda Head of sales and marketing said with the re-introduction of our morning flight, Air Uganda is now in a better position to serve their clients and provide them with great value for money fares and a more attractive convenient schedule that enables them to do a day’s business in Nairobi and make more flights to other airlines at Jomo Kenyatta Airport.

The morning flight had been suspended after a rise in oil prices and a dip in passenger numbers hurt the company’s revenue. That suspension, announced in July 2008, left Air Uganda with only the evening flight.

The new morning flight will leave Entebbe at 6:45 am and arrive in Nairobi at 7:45am. In Nairobi, Air Uganda will leave at 8:15 am and arrive at Entebbe one hour later.

Air Uganda also flies to Juba, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar. The company has three aircraft at the moment, with two more expected by the end of the year.

Air Uganda is fully owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development. The airline has been operating in Uganda since 2007.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Kampala city yesterday got excited in the morning hours as 50 dummy mountain gorillas roamed the streets.

Vendors had  to abandon their business to see the dummy gorillas which were having a great meal of yellow bananas, shook hands with passers-by and distributed fliers to them.

A traffic Police officer at Entebbe Road junction, Richard Okem, blamed the gorillas for the thick traffic jam as drivers stopped to stare at them.

“They are very exciting and many people are very attracted to them,” he said. “But they have caused traffic jam.”

Despite the fanfare, some people took off in panic on seeing their close relatives on the streets roaming.

One shop attendant only identified as Isaac was initially scared at Shell Capital on meeting these dummy gorillas but later joined other admirers. “Nobody has seen a gorilla in the city and what do you expect if you just bump into it unexpectedly?” Isaac asked. “Many people fear drawing closer to them.”

At the Clock Tower, some gorillas became ecstatic when people gave them coins.

These dummy  gorillas were moving in pairs and groups of three. They stood at the major junctions and streets of Wandegeya round-about, the Constitutional Square, the Clock Tower, Parliamentary Avenue, Hotel Equatoria, Pioneer Mall and Theatre Labonita, near Christ the King Church.

This activity was organised by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to promote awareness and protection of gorillas and encourage the public to live in harmony with them.

Moses Mapesa the director of  Uganda Wildlife Authority explained that the event also helped the wildlife watchdog to publicise the UN international year of gorillas commemoration coming up later in the year.

 “We received a positive response from the public,” Mapesa added. “Many people were curious about the gorillas.”

 He said next year, the authority would have a marathon race from Kampala to Bwindi, the home of the gorillas, to promote tourism, which contributes 5% to Uganda’s GDP.

The gorillas are among the most endangered species in Uganda, which need protection because they contribute alot to Uganda’s tourism development since they are the major tourist attractions in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park and the activity that is known as gorilla tracking in these parks is the most expensively paid for activity.

Tour operator companies an example being Abacus African Vacations organise Uganda Gorilla Safaris packages to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for their tourists who come to Uganda every year just to visit the gorillas.
Uganda alone has got half of the worlds’ mountain gorilla population which is found in Bwindi being followed by Rwanda and DRC Congo and these are the only 3 countries in the whole world where you can find gorillas. This attracts alot of toursits from all over the world to come and have a memorable experience when they spend time with these cloes relatives of man. Therefore Ugandans should be sensitized about this gift of nature they ahve got in their own country and stop endagering the gorillas.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Uganda has set its eyes to cash in on fundamental gorilla tracking.

On September 26^th 2009, the fundamental network to track the gorillas will be launched in Kampala and will be witnessed by world leaders and local and international superstars.

This was revealed by Ms. Eunice Mahoro, the Director of Tourism Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in an interview with East African Business Week.

She explained explained further that fundamental gorilla tracking will involve stationing of cameras within Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and trackers will only be able to track gorillas with the help of Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates.

“All this will be possible by one logging on website www.friendagorilla.org which will work in the same way as Face book, Twitter and My Space. Once you befriend a gorilla or gorillas, you will be interacting with your gorilla friend on a weekly basis and you will get updates on the movement of your gorilla friend(s) in Bwindi. And all you do is paying just one dollar or an equivalent in Uganda shillings to any of the mobile telephone networks and you will get yourself a gorilla friend,” Mahoro said.

She continued to say that once someone befriends a gorilla; that person will be able to follow births, new relationships and genealogy of your friend, all life long.

“But you do not have to be on the social network site, you can track your gorilla friend on www.friendagorilla.org site by going to the web page Geotrack,” Mahoro said.

She explained that come September 24, the Nshongi gorilla family in Kisoro will be officially launched by tracking this biggest family of gorillas with 34 individual members which has been habituated for tracking recently.

“This is the year of the gorilla and we want to get everyone on board. We shall have many campaigns starting August 31 with gorilla road shows; culminating in a fundraising corporate gala at Kampala Serena Hotel. With the website connection and the gala, we hope to raise about US$2 billion (US$1 million),” Mahoro said. She explained that tourism last year contributed $600m and the biggest chunk came from gorilla tracking and currently, the tourism sector contributes 4% of the country’s GDP.

Lillian Nsubuga, the Communication and Public Relations Manager UWA, said the money raised will mostly be used for constructing fully operational clinics around the national park and one project that will be initiated by the community.

By Nakiboneka Halimah

Uganda Safaris and Travel Guide News
Kampala Uganda

The transport costs from Entebbe to Kalangala Islands have doubled after Uganda’s only active vessel on Lake Victoria, MV Kalangala, temporarily suspended operations to pave way for its inspection. The vessel’s insurance had expired creating fear among users about their safety.

International Marine Surveyors from South Africa were contracted by the government to carry out the inspection. Fares from Nakiwogo Landing Site to Lutoboka in Ssese Islands where recreational and relaxation sites are found have increased from Shs12, 000 to Shs25, 000 on a speedboat and transport from Kasenyi water ways to Kalangala on a ‘normal’ boat costs between Shs18, 000 to Shs25, 000 up from Shs10, 000.

Tourists to Ssese Island beaches now find it very hard to travel with their vehicles as it was before.” We can’t travel with our vehicles to the island or carry much load yet we are paying twice more money than we used to pay on the ship,” Mr. Umaru Malume, a tourist found at Nakiwogo landing site, said on Friday.

Businessmen who carry bulky materials from Kampala to Ssese can now only use the ferry at Bukakata Landing Site in Masaka which is about 100 miles from Kampala.

The ferry also has its inconsistencies -it sometimes takes long to dock at the landing site or even have irregular trips between the two landing sites. Ssese Islands is a popular tourist destination because of its good camping sites while Kalangala is one of the biggest business hubs on the lake. State Minister for Transport Simon Ejua recently revealed that the inspection would take two weeks and the vessel will be functioning by the start of September.

Every year, the vessel undergoes inspection to ascertain its operational safety status. A source in the Works Ministry, who preferred anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to the press, said registration of the vessel is likely to cost the tax payer $3,467 (about Shs7.3m) while docking  will take $7,980(about Shs16.5m). The vessel was built in 2005 in fulfillment of President Museveni’s 2001 campaign pledge to the islanders.

 By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Cessna aircraft, registration 5X-WTA, reportedly flying from the southwestern Kisoro town to Kampala that apparently developed unspecified problems mid-air, forcing the pilot to contrive an emergency landing on the usually busy Masaka motorway.

With no airstrip in their midst, people in the rural neighborhood of Kyabadaza near Buwama Trading Centre scampered to safety fearing the Cessna aircraft would plunge into their homes – or worse still disintegrate over them.

But the pilot only identified as Steve made a mesmerizing maneuver, landing the plane precisely on the surfaced thoroughfare, before skidding slightly off the road – ploughing in its path the loose loamy soil.

From the plane, emerged the pilot and two passengers; Pedro and Fatima – a Portuguese couple – returning from a holiday in the wild attractions of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, western Uganda’s touristic commune.

A mass of curious on lookers quickly assembled at the scene, gazing at the survivors in awe.

Besides the pilot, emerged the partners gripping one another’s hand yet it was the passionate kiss they drowned shortly afterwards that appeared to electrify the crowd, prompting shy village girls to turn away - for lovers in this rural community mostly express passions in the dark.

As uncertainty loomed, giving way to rumored mechanical fault or fuel shortage, the government announced that an investigation was underway into the incident. The Civil Aviation Authority separately praised the ingenuity of the pilot for saving lives in a critical situation.

Mr Ignie Igunduura, the CAA spokesman, said: “For anyone to make the decision he made and execute it successfully under the circumstances is a mark of skillfulness,”

Steve’s expertise wasn’t just demonstrated in the correct landing. After CAA technocrats certified the plane was still airworthy; the pilot requested Police to seal just an estimated 300-metre stretch of the Masaka highway, which he turned into a runway on which he lifted the plane on a flawless 4:30pm return flight to the operator’s base in Kajjansi, Wakiso District.

A director of Kampala Aero-Flight Training Centre, who identified himself only as Mr Jeremy, confirmed that the plane touched down successfully. He, however, declined any comments saying the company was still in discussions with aviation officials and would issue an official statement on the “controlled situation” later.

Works and Transport Minister John Nasasira said he had been briefed about the incident and tasked CAA officials to find out its exact cause. The information he got was that the plane was from Kisoro and carrying some tourists but it made an emergency landing at a school in Mpigi.CAA is going to investigate what happened.”

Mr Lawrence Nuwabine, the traffic officer for Kampala Extra region, said it was luck that no vehicles were on the stretch of the Masaka Highway where the plane touched down.

The last fatal plane accident in Uganda happened at Entebbe International Airport in March this year when an IIlyushin-76 plane en-route to Somalia, disintegrated into a fireball shortly after takeoff. A government-sanction inquiry into the crash has not been concluded to this day and there is no official explanation for the inordinate delay either.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel Guide News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Uganda’s only active vessel on Lake Victoria –MV Kalangala has temporarily suspended operations to pave way for its inspection.

This appalling information emerged yesterday that the vessel’s insurance had expired creating fears among users about their safety.

MV Kalangala vessel  plies the waterways from Nakiwogo Landing Site in Entebbe to Lutoboka, Ssese Islands. It transports Uganda’s local traders and tourists visiting Ssese Island and Kalangala islands.

Ministry of Works and Transport Publicist, Ms Susan Kataike confirmed yesterday that the vessel’s insurance cover expired but it will be renewed after inspection.

“That is what we are working on and after inspection the vessel will get another certificate of insurance,” she said.

The inspection is expected to take about two weeks and the vessel will be functioning by August 31 according to Mr Ejua. But before it is taken for inspection, Mr Ejua said the ship was scheduled to first transport the visiting Commonwealth speakers and presiding officers to Kalangala Islands for a tour between  August 12 -17. The inspection was expected to take place last month but was delayed due to unclear reasons.

Every year, the vessel undergoes inspection to ascertain its operational safety status. However, Ms Kataike didn’t give the actual cost of inspection but said registration will cost the tax payer $3467 (about Shs7.3million) while docking will take $ 7980(about Shs16.5million).

The absence of the vessel will affect passengers who travel to and from the islands daily. This will also affect the tourists who will love to adventure the Islands and also have holidays at the beach hotels on the islands for example Ssese Habitat Resort, Palm Beach Resort Kalangala during this period of no operation. Passengers mainly with bulky goods will now have to use a longer route via Masaka using a ferry at Bukakata Landing Site.

The vessel was built in 2005 in fulfilment of President Yoweri Museveni 2001 campaign pledge to the islanders.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel guide News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

About 70,000 tourists have visited Uganda’s national parks and game reserves in the first four months of 2009.

This has been revealed by Geofrey Masaba, the Business Development Manager of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Kampala last week. Masaba said Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks are the top destinations for both local and foreign tourists with Kidepo National Park being the least visited destination.

Masaba said that it is not true that local tourism is being ignored. Nationals and foreign residents dominate the entries into our parks.  He continued to say they are both inward looking and outward looking in attracting tourists to visit these heritage destinations which we are proud to conserve.

He said that there is a growing trend of tourists visiting Uganda and hopes that by the end of the year, the figures will be much more impressive than last year or the year before. “In 2008, over 130,000 tourists visited our parks compared to over 120,000 tourists in the year 2007. We see an appreciation trend which we are excited about and we believe that by end of the year, we shall post impressive results,” he added.

Uganda has 12 national parks, with unique fauna and flora.

These include Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountain National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kibaale Forest Reserve, Semliki Wildlife Reserve and Mgahinga Forest National Park, all in western Uganda. Others are Kidepo National Park in the north, bordering Sudan and Kenya; Mount Elgon National Park; Katonga Game Reserve, Murchison Falls National Parks and Semliki Wildlife Reserve.

Nakiboneka Halimah

Uganda Safaris and Travel Guide News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

A school of hippos has been found at Munyonyo in Kampala where it got its new home. They have become a regular spectacle at the shores of Lake Victoria at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.

According to the local fishermen, there are three hippos, an adult male, which is as big as a “commuter taxi” and a mother hippo, which is always accompanying her baby. They are often sighted in the evenings at around 6:00pm and early in the morning.

One of the residents in the area said that it is very rare to see hippos in this part of the country and this has added value to Speke Resort Munyonyo since intending tourists will not have to travel to Murchison Falls National Park to see hippos.

While the managers at resort and country club are excited about the hippos, the animals have scared the fishing community at Munyonyo.

Robert Mukasa, a local fisherman, pointed out that the hippos come out of the water to the beach. “We have seen the hippos walking near the resort and sometimes feeding on the grass and potato vines. They often move around a large territory within the Munyonyo bay,” he said.

The hippos have been seen in the bay for more than a year. They are thought to have come from parts of Lake Victoria near Kaazi or Entebbe.

 “It is now unsafe to fish because the mother is too aggressive. Whereas her baby is playful and approaches canoes, the mother swiftly intervenes to protect it,” he added.

Fishermen warn each other to vacate the lake whenever the hippos are sighted.

“The hippos also tear our nets at night,” Mukasa said.

In an interview, Achilles Byaruhanga, the director of Nature Uganda, said smaller groups of hippos have been seen at Lutembe bay and Nakiwogo near Entebbe.

He said the hippos are in danger of being killed by residents because they are perceived as dangerous.

“The fishermen either avoid places where they are or kill them. That is why they hide during the day, only coming out at night.”

Byaruhanga said the gazetted protected areas left out marine parks that are vital in tourism and protection of bio-diversity.

Two years ago, part of Lake Victoria near Munyonyo, Kaazi and around the Buvuma islands, was declared a Commonwealth reserve and marine park because of its diversity in species, but nothing has been done to protect the area.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Mountain gorillas and other animals fled the Mufumbiro mountain ranges at the Uganda-Rwanda border yesterday following a bush fire that started in Rwanda in the morning and spread to Uganda.

The gorillas are said to be fleeing to the Congo side of the mountain range. Muhabura Mountain was covered in thick smoke. Efforts to control the rampant fire were hampered by an acute shortage of water.

The Kisoro resident district commissioner, Ahmed Doka made announcements on radio urging Ugandans of goodwill to help put out the fire.

Moses Mapesa of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said that they are working with the respective armies in Uganda and Rwanda and other stakeholders to manage the situation.  He downplayed the incident, saying such fires occur in cycles and are a natural phenomenon. They help the system get rid of excessive biomass and dangerous species like some fungi, thus giving way for better and healthier species to emerge.

However, a Rwandan source said the fire could have been lit to ‘smoke out’ Interahamwe rebels, who had been seen in the mountains.

The Mufumbiro mountain range, which include Muhabura, Mgahinga, Sabyinyo and Nyamuragira mountains, harbour over 200 animal species, the most famous being the pygmy chimpanzees (Bonobo apes) which share 98.4% of their genetic make-up with humans.

The fire, described as the worst disaster to hit the flora and fauna in the area, comes in the Year of the Gorilla, as declared by the UN.

UWA and other stakeholders had organized a series of activities to protect the endangered Mountain Gorilla, of which there are only about 720 left in the world, all in the border area of Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo.

One population of about 340 mountain gorillas inhabits the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Kisoro, south-western Uganda.

The second population is found in a mountainous region referred to as the Virungas, which includes Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Uganda), Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) and Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of Congo). Approximately 380 gorillas are found in the Virungas.

Planned activities included a gorilla race in September. Local UWA authorities are worried that if the fire spreads to neighbouring Mgahinga National Park, there could be no gorillas left for the scheduled race.

By yesterday afternoon, buffaloes and other animals were taking refuge around homesteads.

Other sources said the gorillas, being more cunning than other animals, had already found an escape route to neighboring Congolese forests.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel guide News

Kampala Uganda

The bad image abroad created by Idi Amin’s regime needs to be changed in order for Uganda to have more foreign tourists. This is a statement said by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

Meeting the parliamentary committee on tourism, trade and industry yesterday, the executive director, Moses Mapesa, said many people in Europe and the US still perceived Uganda as that of the 1970s when the country was considered a no-go area and added that Uganda was now a safe tourist destination.

Mapesa said the global financial crisis also had a negative impact on tourism.

He, however, said with aggressive and focused marketing, the effect of the financial crunch would be overcome. The inflation rate had gone up to about 14% and the shilling had depreciated to sh2, 000 to a dollar, adding that this discouraged tourists.

“This means that even if we maintain the current level of operations, there will be an increase in costs, especially on food and fuel,” he told the committee which was chaired by Nakifuma MP Joseph Mugambe.

He said a separate budget for capital and recurrent expenditures totalling sh57b for a three-year period had been added on the tourism ministry’s budget proposal to the Government.

“This is in line with the Government’s efforts to support the tourism sector as it is one of the major foreign exchange earners in the country,” he said.

Mapesa added that the funds would boost the authority’s conservation and tourism efforts.

The UPDF representative to Parliament, Maj. Gen. J.F Oketta, said there was lack of information to the outside world about Uganda.

“We should have documentaries shown to the outside world,” Oketta advised.

By Nakiboneka Halimah

Uganda Safaris and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Kenya Airways has denied talk that it is scared by the coming in of Delta Air Lines. Delta Airlines is an American airline which recently announced launch of direct flights from Nairobi to the USA.

Mr. Daniel Maundu, the Kenya Airways (KQ) Uganda Country Manager on Thursday said they are not worried but instead looking at it as another business opportunity. He said that not all passengers that Delta will be bringing in will terminate in Nairobi. They need connectivity to their final destinations. And who better connects Africa from Nairobi than Kenya Airways?

He further added that we have another opportunity to sell Delta’s networks out of Jommo Kenyatta International Airport to Entebbe International Airport, to Bujumbura, to Kigali, Tanzania, Dubai, South Africa and many more destinations. He, however, admitted that Delta Airlines is also seen as competitor since KQ, too, has flights to the USA. But that competition does not scare them stiff. It is a wake up call. It will help us to be more creative, innovative in our airline products, improve our services and come up with the best practices for our customers. And best practices come out directly or out of competition, Maundu emphasized.

Maundu argued that some Delta Air Line customer could get to know about Kenya as a country and that could be another potential investor.

He argued that once Delta is happy with the services at Kenyatta Airport, news of the goodness of Kenya where KQ may get mentioned, will attract other airlines that would utilize KQ’s interline connections.

The government of Kenya has 23% stake in the KQ airliner. KQ is cross-listed on the Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Uganda stock exchanges.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Uganda hosted the 5th Africa-Asia Business Forum (AABF) 2009 conference which started on the 15th June 15 and ended on the17th June 2009.

The 5th Africa-Asia Business Forum (AABF) 2009 conference was intended to bring together top officials and private sector representatives from 65 countries in Africa and Asia and international organizations to review, examine and assess the existing strategies in Africa for sustainable tourism.

 This forum was organized by UNDP in collaboration with Japan’s foreign affairs ministry, the World Bank, UNIDO and the United Nations World Tourism Organization. It was also intended to deliberate on how to expand marketing opportunities in tourism and foster tourism investment among Asian and Africa nations.

The state minister for tourism, Serapio Rukundo told journalists  that the conference was expected to offer a platform for the tourism organization and the business community to exchange views on tourism promotion, trade and investment between Asia and Africa. He further said that the conference was to expose participants such as tour operators, travel agents and all those connected to the tourism industry to information on potential business opportunities, and sharing of best practices and challenges.

The tourism trade fair at the conference, showcased Uganda’s tourism potential. And like any other international conference, boosted the tourism industry in Uganda.

Uganda Tourism Association president, Mr. Amos Wekesa said in an interview that Africa’s image was at stake and this was the time to use this forum to redeem it. Africa contributes only 4% of the world’s tourism earnings therefore Africa needs partnerships. He further noted that they expect government and private sector officials to use this conference to network and get business through these big media networks like CNBC, CNN, BBC and Reuters which showcased the event live from Kampala.

Wekesa added that the private and public sector would benefit greatly from this forum through networking and business-to-business meetings.
This will help increase in the number of  tourists coming into Uganda to take up different tour and safari packages offered by Uganda’s tour operators. Examples of these safari and tour packages include gorilla safaris done in Bwindi National park and Mgahinga National Park, wildlife and primate safaris done in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale Forest  National Park, Murchison falls National park, Lake Mburo National Park, hiking safaris done in Mt. Rwenzori and Mount Elgon national Park. Birding and cultural safaris are also conducted in these national parks as well.    

The conference had activities like a three-day exhibition, presentation on gorilla awareness and Uganda’s traditional dances among others.

This event which attracted about 300 local and international delegates, including 11 ministers from different countries, was held at Kampala’s Speke Resort Munyonyo and was organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism. Some participants who attended were from Asia, Japan, China and Singapore.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Uganda’s part of Mountain Rwenzori has been declared a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) and this has brought the total number of such sites in Uganda to 12.

Categorizing a wetland as a Ramsar site is very important because this helps to increase conservation efforts by both the local and international communities and also helps to boost our tourism industry.

Mr. Mafabi Paul, the commissioner in-charge of wetlands, said Rwenzori was declared a Ramsar site because it is one of the few areas covered with snow at the equator. This is very important in tourism because it is one of the tourist destination sites in Uganda. International tourists usually come and do mountaineering safaris in this area.

He explained that as the snow melts, it forms wetlands, referred to as bogs, which supply rivers Semliki, Mobuku and Nyamwamba with water.

Mafabi further said that the new site covers 99,500 hectares, has a boundary of 1,646 metres above sea level and covers a snow line of 5,091 metres above sea level.

The livelihoods of millions of people depend on the Rwenzori because the water and the rich soils are important for agriculture, he said.

Mafabi said the water that feeds Lake George, one of the most productive lakes in Africa, comes from Mountain Rwenzori. The mountain was declared a national park over a decade ago. He said that he expects increased awareness and attention globally about the plight of the receding glaciers. The area is now a global issue since it is a Ramsar site instead of a national park.

In a separate interview last Wednesday, Vincent Barugahare of the wetlands management department in the environment ministry said the DR Congo was working on a proposal to classify the remaining part of Rwenzori as a Ramsar site.

He said they had a meeting with the government officials from the DR Congo last year to share data because we are working towards establishing a transboundary Ramsar site.

Uganda moved ahead of Congo, but their application will probably be considered soon.

Barugahare said the new site would provide an insight on the disappearing snow and monitor climate change. Lake George was the first wetland to be gazetted as a Ramsar site in 1988. It was followed by Nabugabo in Masaka district.

Last year, nine Ramsar sites were added on the list. They include lakes Bisina, Nakuwa, Opeta, Lutembe and Mabamba. Others are the Murchison Falls, Nabajjuzi and Sango Bay all of which are tourist destination sites and important for bird watching.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel Guide News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

A new multi-purpose ship worth sh15b is set to replace MV Kabalega that sunk in Lake Victoria in 2005. The vessel that will ply between Port Bell and other ports is set to start operations in the course of the year.

State minister for transport Simon Ejua yesterday said the vessel would be supplemented by MV Pamba and MV Kaawa that are undergoing repair. Ejua said assessment and rehabilitation of MV Pamba and Kaawa is ongoing. The two ships are expected to sail by the end of 2009.

He added that the Mutukula border post on the Uganda-Tanzania boundary would be upgraded to facilitate trade in the region.

Ejua was addressing board members of the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala. The meeting was attended by delegates from Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda.

By Nakiboneka Halimah

Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter

Semliki with an area of 220 square kilometers which was formerly a forest reserve, was given national park status in 1993.

The park got its name from the river that forms the Uganda - Congo border. It is the only park in Uganda that is primarily made up of tropical lowland forest.

The park is accessible from Kampala either by air or road. From Kampala via Fort portal, the park is about 363 kms.

With some of Africa’s most spectacular bird species, the novice birder and bird enthusiasts continue to visit the area in big numbers just like you see people going to Pentecostal churches and mosques. The bird list is 441 species including some of Africa’s most spectacular and sought after birds such as the long tailed hawk, Lyre tailed honey guide, Nkulengu Rail and the rare Shoe Bill stork.

The unique eco system in the area is shared with Ituri forest across the Semliki River in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A 4 x 4 wheel drive vehicle is recommended as it will also enhance your panoramic views of the park.

There are a number of hot springs in the area among which is the famous Sempaya hot spring with a boiling geyser of about 106°C that spurts up to two metres high from a white iced cake like base. This is evidence that strong tectonic forces could have and continue to shape sections of the western rift valley.

The park is also home to about 53 mammals and contains 336 tree species plus a good number of primates including the bush baby, potto, baboons, chimpanzees and an exceptional variety of monkeys.

Boat rides and fishing on Lake Albert can be arranged so as to offer you a unique unequaled experience. These activities will enable you appreciate nature at its best. Other interesting areas are the Mungilo and Ngite falls plus the Semliki River which harbours hippos, crocodiles and vervet monkeys at its shores.

Also look out for the leopard, scaly tailed flying squirrel, elephant, buffalo and the pygmy antelope. Nature walks and a visit to see the pygmies at Ntandi can also be arranged.

Semliki Safari Lodge is the only accommodation option in this area. However, one can still visit the park and later drive and overnight at Mountains of the Moon Hotel or Fort Motel in Fort Portal.

The limited number of accommodation facilities in Semliki calls for private investors to think about putting up luxury lodges and campsites in the park and areas of Sempaya and Ntoroko.

For more information contact some of the Uganda’s tour operators such Abacus African Vacations on any of their various websites which include http://www.abacusvacations.com, http://www.ugandansafari.com,http://www.uganda-tours.com,http://www.ugandan-safari.com, http://www.uganda-safari.co.ug and Adventure Trails Limited on http://www.gorilla-safari.com and http://www.ugandansafaris.com/ who take pride in offering tourists and visitors a true Ugandan experience.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel News reporter
Kampala Uganda

The tiny Island of Migingo located in the middle of Lake Victoria has sparked off a row between Kenya and Uganda. The two governments have now set up a joint border committee to verify where the one-acre island falls.

Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the East African Community (EAC) minister, Amason Kingi, are expected in Uganda this week in a bid to find a solution to the ownership row.

Kingi told a press conference in Nairobi on Saturday that the conflict was threatening the EAC, hence the need to urgently address the issue. The Kenyan minister further added that many fishermen on the island had fled for fear of being attacked by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, which he said had invaded the island.

Uganda’s foreign affairs ministry permanent secretary Ambassador James Mugume yesterday said the two countries had decided to keep the status quo on the island until the verification exercise was over.

East African affairs minister Eriya Kategaya met the Kenyan security minister last week and agreed that the status quo holds. He said that they have set up a joint team of technicians and surveyors to look at the maps and establish the borderline. He said that a ministerial meeting had been scheduled for March 13-14 to iron out the issue.

There was tension last week after Uganda sent more security personnel to guard the island. Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba told the weekly press briefing in Kampala that marine officials and anti-riot police were dispatched to the island on Thursday.

She said that Kenyan police officers attacked Migingo and threatened to take over (the island). They came with guns and an assortment of items that is why they sent marine officials and anti-riot police there. They quoted the Nyanza provincial commissioner, Paul Olando, as saying that Kenyan security personnel had gone to the island to follow up on some intelligence information we had received and this was not the first time we were sending them there.

Olando said the security personnel, who were later joined on the island by the Migori district commissioner, Julius Mutula, returned after a meeting with their Ugandan counterparts.

He denied reports that Kenyans had been detained by Ugandan forces, adding that there was no tension between the two countries over the dispute.

Kenya has formed a four-man inter-ministerial team led by lands minister James Orengo to address the issue.

Last year, Kenya and Uganda hired a mapping firm to survey the island. A report compiled by the company was last week debated by members of the East African Legislative Assembly in Rwanda.

Kenyan internal security minister George Saitoti said presidents Mwai Kibaki and Museveni were in talks to resolve the dispute.

Uganda Safari and Travel Guide News
Kampala Uganda

Over 500 Uganda’s cultural and natural sites are in danger due lack of appropriate laws, a senior tourism official has said. Sites like Wamala Tombs are crumbling. Others include Ntusi Mounds are being destroyed by encroachers.

Ntusi is an area formerly inhabited by the Bachwezi people who had migrated from Ethiopia before it was occupied by the Bantu and the Wamala Tombs is the old burial site for Kabaka Ssuna II of Buganda.

Rose Nkaale Mwanga, the acting commissioner of the department of museum and monuments in the tourism industry said the sites were facing danger due to lack of funds to maintain them, ignorance of the people neighbouring the sites, and land encroachment.

She further said the department had recorded 1,000 sites but only three had been registered with the World Heritage Sites. The sites are Kasubi Tombs, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Rwenzori Mountain Park.

Mwanga made the remarks last Wednesday during a sensitization workshop on conservation and management of cultural heritage properties in Uganda at the National Museum in Kampala.

She also said that they are in the process of registering Kibiro Salt Gardens in Hoima district but it is tedious and expensive.

The programme officer for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Daniel Kaweesi, appealed to the Government to sensitize the masses about the importance of cultural sites and heritage.

“The Government has not given attention to culture and yet it is of great value. Culture is business nowadays and many countries earn a lot from it,” Kaweesi said.

He also urged the Government to put in place a law on the patent rights to cultural products like bark cloth.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel Guide News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

The conflict stricken frontier between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo could possibly become home to more than 900 lions after a study finding the presence of prey to support these wild animals. For this to happen, researchers have warned conservationists to act soon in order to protect the big cats from being poached and poisoned by livestock herders.

The study comes in the wake of conservationists Adrian Treves, a study lead author of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and colleagues from Wildlife Conservation Society and the Panthera Foundation who conducted the research raising concerns over high lion Panthera Leo mortality and prey population declines in the area at the boundary between the two Great Lakes countries Uganda and Congo.

However, the researchers observed that confirming if threats to lions are severe or lion populations are disappearing requires extensive surveys on the ground because aerial detection of lions is inaccurate. Yet, ground surveys over large areas are unsafe or infeasible in the war-torn study area. They therefore used aerial surveys of medium- to large-bodied ungulate prey to estimate lion abundance in two adjoining parks of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and Parc National des Virunga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Treves and colleagues who carried out the research wrote that they validated two approaches to predict lion abundance using total counts of lions from Uganda. From this, they predict the two national parks altogether could have held 221 lions in 2004 and they have the potential to hold 905 lions if prey recovers and lion-specific mortality is curbed. This makes the region a potential stronghold for the species in central Africa.

And basing on a recent one third decline in lion numbers in the Ugandan park and pervasive threats to the Congolese Park led the research team to recommend immediate conservation intervention for lions and their prey.

They wrote further wrote that they recommend focused action to protect lions from poaching and retaliation in Uganda, whereas in Congo, general enforcement of wildlife protection and a ground-based survey for lions are needed. Commenting on the study, Treves noted that while the conflict raging in D.R. Congo makes conservation efforts in that country’s Parc National des Virunga is nearly impossible right now, action can be taken in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

As a desperate attempt to protect their livestock, herdsmen have reportedly poisoned and shot predators in large numbers, stirring fears that the king of beasts may be driven to extinction in Uganda. But because these pastoralists have not traditionally killed lions, Treves is of the view they can be convinced to co-exist with the lions if given the appropriate incentives from conservationists.

We are providing a vision of what could be, said Treves. Uganda could maybe have a third of those 900 plus lions, and they are an incredible source of tourism revenue because they are the main reasons as to why foreign tourists come to Uganda to visit the national parks such as Queen Elizabeth national park and carry out activities such as game drives which they pay for in US dollars and hence foreign exchange is brought to the country. So we are hoping that is an incentive the government will respond to.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

With effect from January this year, nationals of East African member states will be paying the same rates as their Ugandan counterparts to access the country’s national parks.

This development is to enable tourists from Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania pay a sum of Shs5, 000 as park entrance fees to any of national parks in Uganda. The UWA Executive Director, Mr. Moses Mapesa said that we are now moving towards having the East African Community as one destination for tourist attraction, therefore it is important that we also harmonize our charges at the regional level. Under the new arrangement, adults will be charged Shs5, 000 to enter natural and reserve national tourist sites while children will be charged Shs2, 500.

The tariffs for foreign nationals will also be reviewed from previously about $25 to $30 for adults and $15 for children. Mr Mapesa said UWA has an arrangement to provide passes for both foreign tourists and East African Community citizens at $50(about Shs98, 500).

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

Queen Elizabeth National Park’s authorities in western Uganda and their counterparts from Queen Elizabeth Country Park in Britain on Wednesday signed a five-year memorandum of understanding. This took place at a function that was presided over by the Deputy British High Commissioner, Mr.  Philip Mani.

Speaking at the function at Mweya Education Centre, the manager, Queen Elizabeth Conservation area, Mr Tom Okello, said the agreement is aimed at promoting the two parks as tourist destinations. He said the two parks will exchange staff and share ideas. Mr Mani commended the existing relationship between the two countries.

Queen Elizabeth National park is Uganda’s notable safari destination for wildlife tours, chimpanzee tracking adventures, birding safaris etc. The 1978km2 Queen Elizabeth National Park enjoys a stunning location on the rift valley floor between Lakes Edward and George where a mosaic of habitats supports 95 mammal species and a remarkable 612 species of birds. Forty years ago, Douglas Willocks described the diverse features that led to its creation in 1952. There still exists no better introduction or a more enticing invitation to visit the park. Therefore this relationship will help boost Uganda’s tourism and increase on the tourist flow in Uganda.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel Guide News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

The lush green vegetation reflects the dull evening sunrays. There are five buffaloes wallowing in the mud. In the sky are vultures hovering over the carcass. If lucky, you may stumble upon a lion having a meal of a warthog, but first things first.

The journey to Murchison Falls National Park starts early morning from Kampala.  By 2:00pm you are expected to be in Masindi the home of the famous Kabalega of the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom. After a quick lunch you hit the road to Paraa which is the destination area. It takes five hours to reach the Nile River crossing at Paraa Safari Lodge, the heart of Murchison. The drive is made livelier by scores of baboons’ breastfeeding their babies on the road and the more daring ones making love oblivious of the passersby. A group of warthogs pass by showcasing their funny looking teeth the only feature distinguishing them from pigs. The warthogs are the lion’s most delicious meal.

As you continue admiring the beautiful scenery made lively by different birds pass by the first lodge, Sambiya River Lodge, and before long you are at Red Chilli camp, if you are to spend your nights in one of those lodges then you don’t have to cross the ferry but if you are to spend the night at Paraa Lodge then proceed to cross the ferry.

Murchison Falls National Park is bisected by River Nile and to access Paraa Lodge you cross using the ferry. Every time the ferry is busy with tour vans carrying tourists.You get to Paraa safari Lodge for dinner and an overnight.

The next day after breakfast, go for a boat ride upstream. You get onto one of the big boats named Kiboko (Swahili for hippos). At the boat cruise you meet the dominant animals on the river — hippos. In Alur, a local dialect, Paraa means the place of hippos (Pa-place and Raa hippos) before long the hippos are joined by the crocodiles basking in the sun with their saw-like teeth bared out. After a three-hour ride reach the foot of Murchison Falls. From a far you see the cloudy waters of the falls that give it a beautiful rainbow as water droplets are reflected by the sun rays.

After savoring the beauty of the falls, time for a game drive. After seeing a number of baboons and warthogs, you expect an encounter with giraffes. The giraffes are such majestic creatures; they have a catwalk that they must have copied from their swagger.

As the giraffes catwalk past, you also see the Uganda kobs, which have a habit of building their toilets on the roads; indeed you will find heaps of their dung everywhere.

As you cruise towards Packwach you will meet the most dangerous animals in the park the buffalo. Just a few metres away you may also see a herd of elephants so huge that our vehicles look like toy cars as the elephants move past them.

After admiring the Jumbos you may also see the tiny oribi. These are leopard’s easiest prey because they have tiny necks.

Early morning, which is also the last day at Murchison Falls National park, you come face to face with a leopard and that is when you have luck because leopards are hard rare especially during day.

After seeing the leopards you will agree with me that you would have had a nice trip and it is time to return home.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safaris and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

There are three immigrant lions which have been found in Lake Mburo National Park in Mbarara. The lions include one male and two females which are suspected to have migrated from Sango Bay, near Lake Victoria.

The Chief Warden, Lake Mburo Conservation Area, Adonia Bimpora, said one female had a cub. He said that this may signal the return of the lions to Lake Mburo National Park after they were wiped out by nomadic pastoralist Bahima in the early 1980s. The cattle keepers in the past used to kill all the lions with the hope that the game park would be converted into grazing land for their cattle.

For the Uganda tour operators,this has been seen to them as a sign to boost their business since many lions will be expected to be seen by tourists during their wildlife safaris in Uganda and hence also boost the tourism industry in Uganda at large.

It is suspected that these lions that were seen in the park may have come from Akagera National Park in northern Tanzania. Migration of game between Mburo and Akagera game parks have been recorded in the past.

Besides lions, elephants and giraffes are some of the animals reported extinct in Lake Mburo National Park over the last couple of years.

The newly arrived lions will be radio-collared with the assistance of a research project and monitored to ensure their safety.

According to a researcher attached to Makerere University, Dr. Ludwig Siefart, lions are endangered in Uganda’s game parks, particularly Queen Elizabeth, yet they have been the back-bone of the country’s tourism for many years before being upstaged by mountain gorillas. He further attributed the sharp reduction in the lion population to poachers seeking lion skin for witchcraft purposes and pastoral communities avenging the loss of their cattle to the beasts.

Siefart attributed this predatory behaviour on the part of lions to human encroachment on protected areas, leaving small patches of land which are not enough for the wildlife to inhabit freely without encroaching on human communities.

Bimpora said that the Uganda Wildlife Authority has introduced a sensitization programme for local communities around the national parks to advise them on the benefits of co-existing with wildlife, particularly the importance of lions to tourism. The sensitization programme will help the locals to have love for tourism and help develop the tourism sites in Uganda.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter
Uganda Kampala

Relaxing in the public area of Silverback Lodge, Uganda’s only impenetrable forest, seems to under ones feet. Located in South Western Uganda, on the edge of the western rift valley, shared by Rukungiri, Kabale and Kisoro Districts.

The lodge situated on top of a hill commands a stunning view of a wide expanse of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, home to half the world’s mountain gorilla population.  The area has an annual temperature range: 7-20 degrees Celsius, its coldest period is June-July and annual precipitation: 1130 mm - 2390 mm

As Gorilla tourism gains momentum with the recent opening up of the Bitukura gorilla family to tourists, the hospitality industry also seems to be proportionally keeping the pace.

Silverback Lodge is the latest entrant in the hospitality industry in Bwindi. Opened in June 2008, the Silverback Lodge completes the dynamic circuit of the portfolio to eco-style living for gorilla tracking bound adventurers. The luxurious up market cozy lodge is perched on a hill overlooking the famous mostly misty Bwindi Impenetrable forest. The view is absolutely stunning.

Because of its location, high up, ones gets a feeling of having the forest under ones feet. In actual sense, the lodge is a great distance from the forest on an adjacent hill over looking the jungle of Bwindi.

The location makes it possible for visitors, using binoculars to view birds and primates from any of the rooms.

Bwindi national Park has 120 species of mammals including 7 diurnal primates and about 30 elephants. There are about 360 species of birds and over 200 species of butterflies. The afromontane forest that make the 331 square kilometers Bwindi National Park has dense under storey of fern, vines, shrubs.

About 324 tree species have been recorded here, 10 of which occur nowhere else in Uganda. All these can be sampled at a glance from the balcony of the Silverback Lodge. The lodge has seven rooms built next to each other that are designed using local materials, such as forest vines, sisal rope and purple slate stone. Each room has an ensuite bathroom (with hot water showers) and comfortable chairs on the verandas for viewing the forest and clouds that drift by in the valley.

The architectural design is simple and natural, with a flavour of organic architecture.

The restaurant has unique and creative menus. The dishes vary from local to international and in addition, there is the well stocked summit bar which is perfect venue for sharing the day’s adventures of gorilla-trekking, primate watching and bird viewing. And the large gardens are perfect for relaxing after a long day’s hike.

Majority of the locals are Bakiga and Bafumbira, constituting the most dense settlements in Uganda.

Accessibility is Kampala to Kabale the distance of 414 kilometers on tarmac road and takes six to seven hours. An additional 120 kilometers from Kabale to Buhoma Park Headquarters via Kanungu and Kanyantoorogo on Murram surface takes three or four hours and may require a 4WD vehicle. Kabale- Ruhija-Buhoma is 95 kilometers and takes about three hours.

This road is not used much by the public. A 4WD vehicle is recommended. There is also an air field in Butogota about 13km away from Silverback Lodge.

By Nakiboneka Halimah
Uganda Safari and Travel News Reporter
Kampala Uganda

The use of online marketing and management tools can boost Rwanda’s tourism industry if timely investments are made. The biggest contribution would come from posting information and content on websites regarding Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism.

A recent research carried out by On The Frontier (OTF) Group shows that internet is the major source of information on tourism in Rwanda and other East African Countries such as Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. 

Other sources of online marketing are specialized websites from different tour operartors and travel agencies in Rwanda,Uganda,Kenya and Tanzania, Rwanda embassies, travel magazines and official travel advisory.  There are an estimated 1.2billion internet users or more globally. Current forecasts suggest 1.5billion people will have internet access by 2012.

The fact that most tourists to Rwanda and East Africa as well consult the internet about their destination country, Rwanda is at the critical moment to heavily invest in infrastructure that will enable web access possible in order to build an online sustainable tourism. 

This, however will require infrastructural development, e-commerce, education and exposure to global practice, global relationships, innovation and vision.  

Damian Cook, managing director of E-tourism Africa, an online tourism promoting website says online activity has become habitual and practical, including shopping. Cook says that for the past three years, travel is now the best selling commodity with over US$110 billion turnover in online sales.

He estimates that over 70% of travelers obtain their travel information through online tourism and it increases their means of selecting, booking and buying.

He says Africa has accounted for 36million arrivals and US$24billion which is 4% of global tourism. However, an estimated less than 2% of Africa’s total consists of online sales. Cook explains African content can be difficult to find and access because of lack of e-commerce and inventory.  He says South Africa and Egypt which have invested in ICT and allowed e-commerce have started to do some business online.

Because of familiarity with the websites, users have started creating their own content without understanding computer programming.It is expected that users will have created 70% of the content on the web in three years. However, as information continues to flow on online community, filtering good and bad information becomes more difficult.

 A practical example is Kenya which was just recovering from an image of terrorist attacks on the US embassy and just entered into post-election violence. The same applies to Rwanda where her image is being painted dark by the war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.With negative media spreading the world, it is hard to keep up the good image of a country which directly impacts its tourism sector.

Rwanda’s tourism industry has over the past 14 years been growing with increasing numbers of international tourists compared to locals. The industry is targeting US$148million receipts at the end of this year.  

With effect from January 2009, nationals of the East African Community will be paying the same amount as their Ugandan counterparts to gain access to utilities and services of Uganda’s national parks and game reserves. Kenyans, Tanzanians, Rwandans and people from Burundi will be paying UShs5, 000 for adults and UShs2, 500 for the children or the equivalents of those sums of money to visit any wildlife gazetted area in Uganda. 

However, the money paid will not cover all the park activities like mountaineering, gorilla tracking and chimpanzee habituation experiences amongst other activities that may be provided by national parks.

In Uganda,  wild life protected areas include Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Mgahinga National Park,  Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale National Park amongst others.
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the body responsible for managing the country’s protected areas, undertakes a biennial review of the entry and tourism tariffs with the aim of determining whether the tariffs correspond to the market forces and are in line with those charged by neighbouring countries.

Under the new tariff regime, the differences between Ugandans and the other East Africans has been removed and replaced by the category of East Africans under which Ugandans fall.

Children under the age of five years, students from Ugandan schools and honorary wardens will always receive free admissions to the protected areas. Students on educational trips must however carry valid identity cards and a letter from their school.

In addition to harmonising the fees charged on East Africans, UWA has offered a 50% discount from the 15th of December 2008 to the 15th of January 2009.  The Executive Director of UWA, Moses Mapesa said they had decided to offer the discount at this time of the year because it falls under school holiday time.
“We have decided to offer this discount because this is when most people are on holiday. We would like it if Ugandans and the East Africans took this opportunity because entry into the national parks is going to be UShs2500 (below $2) for all those people who have residence in the East Africa region,” he said. 

 Mapesa also said UWA provides annual entry permits to all protected areas for foreign residents and East African residents. An annual permit costs $50 for an individual, $75 for a couple, $100 for a family of four people with children not exceeding 15 years of age and $400 for corporate organisations providing entry for 10 people.
Foreigners resident in Uganda will now pay $20 for adults and the children below 15 years of age will pay $10. The foreign non-residents will, however, pay $30 for adults and $15 for children below 15 years.

Mapesa said that there was need to harmonise tourism tariffs in the East African region which has compelled them to act in this way. He said that they under took the measure after extensive consultations with other stakeholders in the region .
It is still unclear whether the other East African countries are also going to charge uniform fees to their nationals and the nationals from the other East African states.

UWA has also increased the tariffs for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park from $70 to $90 for foreign non-residents and from $50 to $70 for foreign residents. Citizens of East African countries will pay UShs60,000.
A single day for the chimpanzee habituation experience which involves spending 12 hours watching the chimpanzees feed, play, care for their young and construct nests will cost foreign non-residents $220, foreign residents $150 while the citizens of East Africa will pay $70.

Foreign non-resident persons are the people who come into East Africa exclusively as tourists and do not have any sort of residences while the foreign residents are the people currently residing in East African as expatriates or otherwise.

Gorilla tracking fees have also increased, gorilla tracking permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are now at $500 for the foreign non-residents, $475 for the foreign residents and UShs250,000 for East Africans. Ugandans too will pay Ushs250,000 up from the previous Ushs150,000.
In an attempt to attract more locals into the tourism sector, the UWA is encouraging people by reducing entrance fees this festive season, harmonising tariffs for East Africans and expanding points of accommodation at most of the major tourist attractions.

East African countries failed to agree on how to handle three major important issues: land ownership, free movement of people and permanent residence. Tanzania openly gave her stand - that there would be no land deal in the East African Community (EAC).

Tanzania’s Minister for East African Cooperation, Dr Deodorous Kamala said the just ended meeting held in Zanzibar did not agree on these three crucial issues. The meeting was attended by ministers and multi-sectoral committees within the EAC.

It was expected that the three issues would have been resolved by next month but now the matter has been extended to be discussed in March next year.

The obvious is that all the time, Tanzania has been against proposals put forward by its neighbours, Kenya and Uganda especially on land and free movement of the people.

Dr Kamala said that the majority of Tanzanians were against such proposals for fear that it may allow an influx of people who would come to Tanzania and grab land. He further said that the land was a very sensitive issue and that Tanzania is of an opinion that the issue is not supposed to be under discussion on the Common Market.

Tanzania was also against Identity Cards (IDs) to facilitate free movement of people in East Africa for fear that the IDs might be forged or manipulated.

Instead, Dr Kamala said, Tanzanians were of the opinion that let passports be in use because they were credible and recognized internationally.

 In another development, Tanzania has said that there was need to immediately set a mechanism on how to use the waters of Lake Victoria.

 Tanzania is accusing Uganda for using a lot of water from the lake than Kenya and Tanzania put together.

Plans to integrate countries belonging to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have been finalized. The executive secretary, Eng. Mahboub Maalim, said there is need to for free movement of people and harmonization of policies among member countries.

 He further said that all that is left to be done is political leaders is to approve the plan. Some border communities are already doing cross-border businesses.

He also said that Euros 1m (sh2.5b) had been earmarked for strengthening the system and staff will be hired on the basis of performance.

Maalim was recently speaking at the opening of the 8th meeting of the committee of permanent secretaries at the Speke Resort, Munyonyo. He called for the creation of an IGAD-based free trade area. In his speech, regional co-operation state minister Isaac Musumba said Uganda would support all attempts to revitalize IGAD.

He said the Government had made progress in disarming Karamajong pastoralists because of collaboration with neighbouring Kenya. He noted that efforts to disarm the Karamajong were initially problematic because they would disarm the Karamajong but the Pokot would cross from Kenya to raid them.

Musumba said through information sharing with Kenya there are coordinated measures to eliminate cattle rustling. As a result there are now very few guns involved in raids.

The Government has embarked on sensitizing Karamoja communities to grow upland rice as an alternative form of livelihood which would help them settle down, enabling the Government to offer social services like education, unlike the days when they were mobile, Musumba added.

Tree climbing lions found in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National park are among the perils facing thousands of Congolese refugees as they flee into neighbouring Uganda to escape a new upsurge of fighting.
The route leads through the rugged Virunga and Queen Elizabeth National Parks, prowled by a group of lions famed for hiding in trees, leopards and other dangerous beasts.

Katsuva Paluku, the head of a family of four that straggled into the refugee camp at Ishasha from Rutshuru in Democratic republic of Congo, said that two women vanished in the park. He also said that there is fear they might have been eaten up by the lions. When people move in small groups of three or four, the lions don’t pare them. What they always do is to wait for other groups of families and then walk in a big group of 30 or 40. Forces loyal to Congolese Tutsi rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda launched a new offensive in August, routing government troops and seizing swathes of territory in North Kivu Provinces. Although he said he would cease fire last month, his men have continued attacking Congolese and Rwanda’s 1994 genocide of Tutsis.

Scores of Congolese policemen are among more than 15,000 people who have fled across the Ugandan border in recent days. Atleast they have had vehicles to flee in and assault rifles to fend off any hungry animals.
The park ranger who fled to Ishasha said that its true some people have been attacked by lions but they have not been identified by names or even known the numbers yet.

Kimbla- Mantana Uganda has announced the opening of their newest lodge” The Engagi Lodge” in Bwindi, Uganda, Africa. The old tented camp has been replaced with a modern lodge in a breathtaking setting offering stunning views over the forest canopy.  The lodge is situated in a large tract of land contiguous with the Bwindi National Park, and runs from the main Buhoma road down to the Munyaga River.  The Engagi Lodge is ideally situated to be used as a base camp for gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park. Engagi means “gorilla” in Rukiga, the language spoken in and around Bwindi.

The lodge was built using a local workforce and local materials.  All of the staff have been employed from the surrounding areas, and have been trained on site.  Joseph, who has been the assistant manager at Lake Mburo Camp for a number of years, is currently managing the Engagi Lodge to ensure that it maintains the same level of service and standards that both tour operators and our clients have enjoyed at Lake Mburo.

The Main Lodge building is divided into 3 sections: a “rock” bar, the restaurant, and a large wooden verandah with a separate outdoor viewing platform.  The lodge building is large enough to cater for sizeable groups needing banqueting tables, but still allows smaller individual groups to spread out in the various different areas for privacy.  The lodge is open ended at the front, allowing a dramatic view of the National Park forest from every corner inside the building.

The main lodge is built entirely from rocks found in and around the site and eucalyptus trees, while the roof has been thatched using banana fiber sourced from local farmers.

In terms of food and meals, the lodge prepares a variety of 3 course meals, and all requirements (such as vegetarians and vegans) are catered to by our team of experienced Kampala trained chefs.

The lodge consists of just 8 en-suite cottages, evenly spaced out and hidden in the foliage.  Each cottage has either double or twin beds (complete with hot water bottles), a bathroom with flushing toilets, hot and cold running water.  All have private verandas where guests can enjoy their morning tea or coffee as they look out over the forest canopy. Electricity is supplied by solar power, with a backup generator.  Hot water is supplied by wood burning boilers; however we intend to install solar powered heaters in the future with the wood burners as backup.

The main Reception has been built up on the Buhoma Road, and we have a large and secure roadside car-park, both of these are a good distance away from the main lodge buildings.  Drivers can be accommodated in our permanent staff buildings.

Guests will be able to enjoy a number of private walking trails around the lodge and down to the river. They may also enjoy a visit to a number of functioning tea farms inside the site which are maintained by members of the community.

The Engagi Lodge offers classic accommodations in the Bwindi area.  Tour operators are welcome to book use of the accommodations for clients in support of their travel plans.  Individuals interested in staying with us are also welcome.

The opening of this new lodge in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has added to an increase in the lodges that are found in, near and around the park. Some of these lodges and accommodation sites include budget and camping accommodation which are mainly occupied by the budget tourists who visit the park for gorilla tracking activities an example is Lake Kitandara Bwindi Camp site. The park has also got high end accommodation such as Gorilla Resort- Bwindi This is an Intimate exclusive high end safari camp with a breath-taking view of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is located at Buhoma - Bwindi Impenetrable Gorilla National Park on a Mountain side. Mantana Luxury tented Camps. This mat tented camp about 1 km outside the park boundary, faces a steep forested hill rustling with bird life. The self contained tents all have solar lighting, an eco-friendly toilet and a private veranda.

Volcanoes Bwindi Camp. This attractively low-key camp consists of several secluded self-contained standing tents, carved into individual clearings in the surrounding scrub. The restaurant and bar is on a wooden deck with a great view over the gallery forest on the park boundary. Half board accommodation costs and full board.

Gorilla Forest Camp which is owned by an up market safari operator. This fabulous tented camp is easily the plushest option at Bwindi.

Moderate accommodation sites are also there and these include Buhoma Homestead little more than a jumped-up local guest house, the Buhoma Homestead would feel extortionately priced any where else in the country at around USD 60 per person full board for a self contained single/ double with hot water. But it’s a fair compromise between cost and comfort at Bwindi with a friendly atmosphere and an attractive location within the park boundary.

Buhoma Community Bandas and Campsite:This attractive complex is set in wooded grounds in a slope facing a forest gallery immediately inside the park entrance gate. Camping is permitted at USD 3 per person. No visitation fee is needed for staying here unless you go on a walk into the park. Basic meals can be ordered for in advance at a cost of USD 3. Drinks are also available.

Bwindi Travellers Motel Butogota: Located in the middle of Butogota trading center 15 kms for Bwindi Park HQS.

Bwindi-View Bandas & Gorilla Nest Campsite:Situated directly opposite the community camp site, this private set up is considerably cheaper, with stunning views of virgin forest opposite and nestled away on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Bookings can be made through the National Park information office in Kabale.

Nkuringo Gorilla Campsite is located in a beautiful swath of the world renowned Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

The tourism sector in Kenya is about to recover from the destruction of post election violence 10 months down the line with a reduction of 30 per cent in earnings in the third quarter of the year compared to the same period last year. The earnings stood at KSh34.5 billion compared to the KSh49.2 billion registered over the same period last year.

Ong’ong’a during the release of the sectors third quarter results noted that the post election violence and the after effects have adversely affected revenues to the sector. The sector has lost some Sh14.7 billion as compared to what was achieved over the same period last year. This is despite an estimated KSh350 million having been used in recovery efforts mostly on marketing and advertising in key source markets such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

 Kenya Tourist Board Managing Director Dr. Ong’ong’an Achieng continued to say that the recovery efforts will go on until the end of 2009 with the hope that the government will honour its pledge to increase funding to the sector by another Sh1 billion this financial year. In order for tourism in Kenya to get back to its standards and meet the other East African Countries take an example of Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

 The recovery programmes are expected to run until the end of 2009 and we expect through this process to reach the 2007 levels. The results still reveal a 30 per cent drop in consolidated tourist arrivals for the last nine months with the figure standing at 939,791 compared to 1.3 million over the same period last year. This was however a six per cent edge improvement against the second quarter.

The global tourism market has been seriously battered by the prevailing high fuel prices that heightened the cost of travel against a background of unstable financial markets and rising inflation levels.

High fuel prices for a significant part of the year increased the cost of air travel reducing the demand of long haul destinations from the major source markets. These factors also reduced the level of importance of travel in terms of priorities to an extent.

In terms of international arrivals by air and sea, the sector recorded a 36.6 per cent decline standing at 496,056 compared to the 782, 690 registered over the same period last year. Almost all the arrival categories registered a major decline compared to 2007 with the holiday segment dipping by 55 per cent while the business segment registered a 20.9 per cent drop. Cross boarder arrivals closed at 443,735 compared to 565,191 during the same period in 2007.

Exhibitors of handicrafts were the most organised and impressive at the just concluded Uganda Manufacturers Association trade fair at Lugogo. Most of the handicrafts exhibitors were from neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania with a handful from Uganda and Rwanda.

 Besides being the first set of exhibitors to put their stalls in order, they managed to put together beautiful handmade products from different areas in the region. Some of the products on exhibition were ornaments and other goods of aesthetic value.  Most of the ornaments are locally made from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda using precious stones, bark clothes and cowries shells among others.

 Handmade items such as necklaces, bracelets, ear rings, wallet and handbags were among the most popular products. Such ornaments are very much liked and treasured by tourists who visit Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The tourists usually find these handicrafts at tourist destinations when they come to East Africa, these are locally made by the people living in surrounding communities near national parks. In Uganda, take an example of the Bigodi Women Group in Kibale National Park where tourists enjoy chimpanzee tracking safaris and birding safaris at Bigodi Swamp as well as nature walks. The ornaments have a mixture of different precious stone and shells that can only be found in areas where there are rivers and seas in the region.

 Although the handicraft exhibitors were not in the main exhibition hall, they managed to register one of the most impressive attendances by the show goers because there crafts are not only admired by the foreigners (tourists) but also the locals too.

 “We have not really made big sales but most of the show goers are impressed by our creativity and generally admired our product and to me as business person that is not too bad,” Ms Gorrety Nakku, a Ugandan handicraft exhibitor said.

 Ms Nakku added that, “Few years ago our products were considered backward by our own people and we heavily depended on tourists for livelihood but now the locals are slowly embracing our products,” Ms Nakku 

The Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) will run three business days for exhibitors and show goers and tourists during the UMA trade fair.

 Ruth Musoke, the PSFU director for member service, said that the business days would be part of the parallel business meeting events that will be held during the trade fair at the UMA Main Conference Hall.

The days would involve business seminars, talks and demonstrations aimed at exposing exhibitors, show goers and the general public to new business ideas and technology improvement. She further added that the business days are meant to expose the public to new innovations and business ideas, new technologies and technology improvement, product design and development, business partnerships and joint ventures, marketing of industrial products and market development.

Musoke explained that the business days are open to the general public from 9.00am to 5.00pm and the attendance is free for all and no need for pre-registration.

She added that the initiative would be an annual event pararell to the trade fair as a way of continued support to local business people to make more competitive both locally and international.

Musoke explained that last year’s Uganda International Trade Fair attracted over 817 exhibitors from 31countries with over 170,000 show goers. She said this year 900 participants from over 30 countries were registered.

The President of Uganda President Yoweri Museveni is expected to open the fair on October 10^th 2008.

The Chairman of the Trade Fair James Kalibbala said the trade fair would be held under the theme ‘Linking production to prospective markets through value-addition’.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is making plans to strengthen security at Entebbe International Airport which is the international airport of Uganda. This is the main entry and exit point of the country. All people arriving and leaving Uganda  for example tourists, business people, heads of state use this airport.

According to the aviation authority’s website, CAA has called for the supply of security screening equipment.

Security has become a major consideration for aviation authorities around the world following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Countries have had to upgrade their security equipment to ensure safety at the airports.

The procurement be will done using the open international bidding process which is open to all bidders ‘from eligible source countries.’

Bid documents can be inspected from the office of the procurement manager at the CAA headquarters in Entebbe.

They cost sh100, 000 or $60 from the CAA cash office at Entebbe airport terminal building. Bidders must have a bid security of $7,400 (sh12m). The deadline for submission of the bids is November 18 at 10:30am. They will be opened in the boardroom on the same day.

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) launched a new drive to promote wildlife conservation and local tourism. The campaign is targeting the youth mainly and is aimed at popularizing Uganda’s rich wildlife heritage among students.

Eunice Nyiramahoro, the director of tourism and business development, declared last week that the authority is hoping to reach the more than 30,000 students at Makerere University alone. She said this while speaking during the close of a two-week sensitization outreach at the institution.
Nyiramahoro said UWA has already put incentives in place to attract students to Uganda’s national parks. She said some of the incentives include free entry for students with valid identity cards.

During the function, more than 2,500 students, visited the stalls and got copies of Uganda games posters and CDs.
The climax of the day was a raffle won by Judith Dushimimana, a second year student of Psychology for a three-day tour of Murchison Falls Game Park.
Nyiramahoro asked the Government to give incentives to the industry to allow easy access to the parks.

She noted out that people are constrained because they believe that the tour companies are expensive and meant for only white tourists or foreigners, the tourism ministry should work on ways to make the national parks accessible to the locals. This will help[ develop tourism in Uganda and the neighbouring communities around the parks and other tourism sites at large.

There is need to put more infrastructure in tourism sites such as lodges in the national parks that are not too expensive to attract more local tourists. She regretted that many locals believe that the national parks were only for white tourists and they are frequently visited by the whites.

Rwanda and Burundi have agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding giving way to mutual protection of two major national parks. The MoU was signed in Rwanda recently by the director general of Rwanda Office for Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN), Ms. Rosette Rugamba and the director of Burundi National Institute for Nature and Environmental Conservation (INECN), Mr. Adelin Ntungumburanye.

The signing of the MoU is as a result of the collaboration idea conceived in 2005 by both Rwanda and Burundi to initiate joint transboundary protection to achieve sustainable conservation of the ecosystem in Nyungwe National Park of Rwanda and Kibira of Burundi.

Nyungwe National Park extends for 1,000 square Kilometers across the hills of South East Rwanda. The park has more than 200 different types of tree species and harbours close to 300 bird species. Kibira National Park is the largest untouched natural area in Burundi situated at the top of Apex DRC-Nile with its 40,000 hectares of preserved forest. It is home to wild life such as chimpanzees, baboons and monkeys.

Burundi, which is just rebuilding after a prolonged civil war has prioritized the tourism sector among other development, drives in the pipeline. Two weeks before, President Pierre Nkurunziza launched a tourism promotions drive to market the country as a major destination.

Technically, tourism has become East Africa’s leading sector. In all the East African countries, tourism industry has contributed a lot to their development especially in community areas where tourism sites such as game reserves, national parks, ecotourism sites and historical sites are located. People in these communities benefit through selling arts and crafts to the tourists and also other hand made souvenirs which they take back to their countries. Tourists also carry out village walks in those neighbouring areas and do some developmental projects for example in Uganda, tourists usually opt to visit Bigodi area in Kibale National Park after the chimpanzee tracking activity, they also carry out village walks in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park after gorilla tracking and also other parks such as Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mgahinga national Park etc

Rwanda already has another MoU with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to protect the species and nature in the Albertine Rift. Ms. Rugamba said they are looking forward to the success of this collaboration and there is no turning back since there is commitment which is the most important aspect.

The understanding will see the two countries conserve biodiversity, natural resources and associated cultural values, research, monitoring and ecotourism. They will also lobby for planning and better management to reduce threats affecting the two national parks. The two bodies also agreed on rational sharing of resources and skills development for the sustainable conservation of both areas. The collaboration will also deal with common challenges to conservation including poaching which led to the extinction of buffalos and elephants, bamboo cutting, cattle movement, fires where 12% of the park has been burnt in the last 12 years, insecurity and poor infrastructure especially on the side of Burundi.

On the side of Rwanda, however, a lot of efforts and initiatives have been put in place to ensure Nyungwe National Park is protected and developed into an amusement park. Dubai World, an emerging investor in Rwanda is also putting up $3million tent-made lodges in the park to ensure accommodation in the park.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in its Project named ‘Destination Nyungwe’ is setting up other two lodges. Nyungwe, which is Rwanda’s largest natural forest, was transformed into a national park. Last year alone it was visited by 4,000 tourists who spent US$234,000.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has signed an agreement worth $3m worth sh4b with a Germany investor to manage wildlife which is not in gazetted parks.

The investor, Christian Weth, will invest in eco-tourism and game farming in Luwero and Nakaseke districts said the UWA publicist Lillian Nsubuga.Weth said that there is huge potential for tourism, sport-hunting and game farming in this area. This will increase on the number of tourists who come to visit Uganda’s tourism sites for example Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where tourists go for gorilla trekking safaris, Kibale Forest National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and many others.

He owns the Uganda Wildlife Safaris, a tour and travel agency, which would work closely with the districts officials.Luwero and Nakaseke have animals such as warthogs, leopards, bushbucks, hyenas and Uganda kobs.

The UWA executive director, Moses Mapesa, said Weth’s task would be to attract people who are interested in vermin animals to hunt the animals.UWA is planning to extend the programme to other parts of Uganda, the statement added.

British Airways (BA), one of the world’s leading airlines has got strong plans of promoting Tanzania’s tourism sector by launching a new route to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).

The BA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Willie Walsh, said has that due to the increasing number of tourists in
Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, plans are in the pipeline for the airline to start a direct flight to the region, blessed to have the highest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro.

He further explained that introducing a direct flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) will give them an opportunity to promote Tanzania’s tourism in the world, since there is a high tourist demand in Kilimanjaro. This will not only promote Tanzania’s tourism sector but also other East African countries including Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.

This will help promote tourism in East Africa as well  beacuse tour operators especially those in Uganda for example Abacus African Vacations and Adventure Trails Limited offer combined safaris to their toursits which include visiting the  tourist sites such as national parks, game reserves, mountains for example Mt. Elgon, Mt.Rwenzori, Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Virungas Mountain.

Currently, the Dutch airline, KLM flies daily to Kilimanjaro International Airport en route to Dar es Salaam. Another airline, which flies into KIA, is Ethiopian Airline.The new route will also help to lift flowers from Kilimanjaro and Arusha to the European Union (EU). Today, stakeholders in the flower sub-sector export flowers to the EU markets via Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Meanwhile, Walsh who was in Tanzania also commended the ‘Change for Good’ programme in Tanzania for bringing a positive impact on the communities in the areas where it has been implemented. He was in the country to mark the 14th anniversary of the programme, which was launched in partnership with British Airways and UNICEF way back in 1994. The celebrations were also attended by UNICEF’s UK executive director, David Bull.

Since its inauguration, the programme has collected 25 million pound sterling (Tsh55 billion), which has been used to fund vital UNICEF projects in 55 countries worldwide and under the programme, passengers aboard BA planes donate small amounts of money (change), which is used to fund projects initiated by UNICEF. 

Amoropii hot spring is found in northern Uganda and it is believed to do miracles for it’s visitors. This is another hot spring found in Uganda which is believed to have divine powers, has miracles and it is worshipped by people just like Sempaya hot springs found in  Semuliki National Park. Amoropii hot spring got it’s name from an Alur word meaning hot water. Amoro means hot and pii stands for water.

It is believed that barren women bathe in the hot spring as well those in need of a fairer and tender skin.  Before visiting these hot springs, one must first get blessings from the Prime Minister Nyipir Onen.  “Once, two white men ignored me. They set off for Amoropii on their own. They didn’t get there. A snake bit one of them,” Nyipir boasts.

The prime minister said that one day, a cow fell into the heart of Amoropii. In a couple of minutes, the whole of it had been cooked and was ready for eating the village had a party.

Amoropii likes meat too, it is said that every six months, they slaughter a big sheep as a sacrifice to the gods of Amoropii. The meat is left in the open and the following day, it’s gone. It is believed that the gods of Amoropii take it.

Amoropii has many wonders. Any woman who wants to bleach her skin goes there and comes back with a light skin. Not only does her skin become lighter but it also becomes tender. Like a newly born baby’s skin said the prime minister.

The prime minister charges sh50, 000 to escort anybody to Amoropii. It is cheaper to pay him bearing in mind the story of the white men.

Nyipir is the prime minister of Ker Kwonga chiefdom in Panyimur Sub-county in Nebbi District on the shores of Lake Albert. The soft-spoken Nyipir lives about a kilometer away from Amoropii in his grass-thatched homestead. His home is the last place visitors bound for Amoropii park their vehicles. On hearing the cars being parked in his compound, he comes out and greets the strangers after which he asks them where they are going.

Nyipir is an elderly man. He wears gumboots and moves about with a walking stick. The stick is more of a ceremonial symbol than something he uses for support.

Nyipir is a very soft spoken man and is eager to teach visitors as much as they need to know about his major inheritance of Amoropii. However Nyipir does not speak English. Therefore, there is always a guide who comes in handy as an interpreter.

Amoropii hot spring is located about three kilometers from Panyimur fishing village on the western shores of Lake Albert. Near the hot spring, is a grass-thatched shelter, where the area traditional chiefs converge when they are due to make sacrifices to the gods.

The hot spring consists of a stream whose water gets heated when it flows through a certain pool on its way into the bushes. A distance away in the middle of a swamp is a crater-like pool with very hot water. It measures about two metres in diameter.

The locals call it “the tank”. Located in an overgrown swamp, it is very hard to reach; you could drown trying. You can only see it after climbing up a nearby hill.

But according to Nyipir, it was in this ‘tank’ that a cow fell and the village feasted.

The only accessible hot spring is the pool in the stream. Nyipir says that a woman who has ever given birth becomes barren when she bathes in the hot spring without consulting him and those who are barren can conceive if they go to the hot spring after through me.

He says you can get misfortunes if you decide to visit the hot springs without first talking to him. Apart from the white men (foreign tourists), Nyipir has more chilling stories.

He said that a certain man went to the hot spring alone and met a ghost. He ran back and his wife got three miscarriages.
Eventually he came to him. They appeased the gods by burning his underwear and sacrificing a sheep. Now he has two children. Nyipir continues to tell his horror story that two pupils went to the spring one day around lunchtime and saw a ghost in form of a man bathing when they went home the following day, their skins started peeling off. I had to be called to cure them.

Nyipir says he brought them back to the hot springs and asked them where they had seen the ghost. After pinpointing the spot he left a goat there after talking to the gods. When he went to the spring the following day, the gods had taken away goat. Nyipir says that the gods only listen to him but they do not talk back.

According to him, the hot spring cures many ailments, including impotence. He says the water can cure impotence among men only if it was caused by the gods of Amoropii.“If the powers of the gods from the hot spring are responsible for causing the impotence, I can cure the victim. If the cause is different, I cannot do much,” he claims.
“You can always find the women in the hot springs. It works. Even their skins become tender,” he concludes.

Scientists describe a hot spring as a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally-heated groundwater from the earth’s crust. There are hot springs on every continent and even under the oceans and seas. Geothermal heat is the hot temperature from the earth’s interior. The temperature of rocks within the earth increases with depth. If water percolates deeply enough into the crust, it will be heated as it comes into contact with hot rocks.

The water from hot springs in non-volcanic areas is heated by geothermal heat. In volcanic zones, the water may be heated by coming into contact with magma (molten rock).The high temperature gradient near magma may cause water to be heated enough that it boils or becomes superheated. If the water becomes so hot that it builds steam pressure and erupts in a jet above the surface of the earth, it is called a geyser.

The term geyser is derived from some hot springs in Iceland which gush from the ground as a jet of hot water.
However, if the water only reaches the surface in the form of steam, it is called a fumarole. If the water is mixed with mud and clay, it is called a mud pot. Hot springs in volcanic areas are often at or near the boiling point of water.Warm springs are sometimes the result of hot and cold springs mixing but may also occur outside of volcanic areas. The pool in the stream at Amoropii is a warm water spring. It’s near-hot.

Communities living near hot springs in Uganda usually have both spiritual and superstitious attachments to hot springs. Hot springs are believed to cure various ailments and they are frequented by many people with different ailments.
Because heated water can hold more dissolved solids, warm and especially hot springs also often have a very high mineral content, containing everything from simple calcium to lithium, and even radium.

Because of both the folklore and the claimed medical value some of these springs have, these are often popular tourist destinations and locations for rehabilitation clinics for those with disabilities.
Though bathing in hot springs is popular with people suffering from various ailments, hot springs can create ideal conditions to spread infections.

For example, among others, Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba, lives in warm waters and soils worldwide and can be a cause of meningitis. Scientists have also collected viruses from very extreme environments, of hot springs with temperatures of up to 87 degrees Celsius.

Unlike in other developed countries, in Uganda, hot springs barely bring in any economical benefits to the communities because of the taboos and superstitions associated with them.
On the other hand, it is taboo to take water away from the hot springs in Uganda, lest you drop dead or run mad. Consequently, hot springs are venues for cultural and superstitious rituals in Uganda. Some hot springs have also been taken over by oracles.

The Office of Tourism and National Parks in Rwanda (ORTPN) is ready to spend US$570,370 to support community development projects around the national parks. An initiative that will help promote tourism in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

This is part of its revenue sharing policy where it will collect 5% of the total revenues and give them to community development projects.

 Under the initiative, ORTPN unveiled 21 community projects estimated at $266,666 in the country’s eastern province surrounding the Akagera national park.  

 The ORTPN director general, Ms. Rosette Rugamba said that the projects were realized through the ORTPN revenue sharing policy where 5% of tourism revenues are allocated to community projects. Since 2005 to date, 54 community projects worth $963,703 have been funded.

Among them there are 11 schools with 47 classrooms, three hospitals, two community curio shops, 15 communal water taps and 10 water harvesting tanks as well as seven bridges. It has also funded income generating activities such as bee keeping, mushroom growing and energy saving stones.  

Tourism was ranked the first foreign exchange earner in 2007 registering $137million.

The sector has contributed 3.7% to the country’s GDP and this year, tourism expects to collect $148million from 884,220 tourists.

Conservationists have called upon the Ugandan government to tighten the laws guiding conservation forests in Uganda. This was revealed by the trustees of the National Forestry Authority (NFA). During the press conference it was revealed that Uganda’s total forest cover has halved in the last two decades. In 1988, 26% of the country was covered by forests. This has reduced to 13% in 2008, says John Diisi, NFA’s coordinator for Global Information Systems and Mapping. The country loses an average of 86,000 hectares of trees per year. Most of the destruction is taking place on private land, outside government-protected areas, according to NFA.

The trustees also revealed that politics is accountable to the dilapidating forests in Uganda. During campaigns, politicians coin slogans like ‘trees do not vote’. Politicians who cooperate with environmental bodies have ended up with a bitter taste in their mouth. “I wanted to reclaim my seat in Rakai, but it became impossible because people thought I had not done enough to silence conservation bodies seeking to evict them from areas they are encroaching,” says Matovu.

Diisi added on that over half of the 240,000 encroachers countrywide are found in Rakai, Masaka and Sembabule.

As a measure to protect the existing forests, Conservationists called upon the Ugandan government to write off parts of forests reserves it cannot secure from encroachers. At the same time, hilly and mountainous areas should be gazetted and accorded protection status of forest reserves.The destruction of forests in Uganda has severe impact on tourism and economic development. In the past years, Uganda has become one of the best safari destinations in Africa given its evergreen forests that protect rare and endangered species that cannpt be aesily found else where in the world.

Notable forests with rare species in Uganda include Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Mgahinga Gorilla Forest prominent for gorilla safaris, Kibale Forest an important forest for chimpanzee tracking and several ecotourism sites that include Mabira forest, Mpanga Forest, Kaniyo Pabidi Forest among others.

Tanzania expects to earn US$1.35 billion from tourism in 2009. This will be an increase from a projected $1.2 billion in 2008, helped by increased marketing in North America and Europe. Last year Tanzania received 719,030 tourists, fetching just over $1 billion, making the sector the leading foreign exchange earner.

Tanzania’s main tourist markets are the same as Uganda’s and these include Britain, Germany, US, Italy, France, Spain and the Scandinavian countries. Tanzania also receives a sizeable number of tourists from South Africa and Kenya.
Tourism employs around 200,000 Tanzanians directly and accounts for around a quarter of the country’s total foreign exchange inflows.

In order for Tanzania to develop tourism industry its major attention should now be directed to other forms of tourism. Take an example of Uganda’s tourism industry, there are different forms of tourism such as wildlife tourism mainly done in Uganda national parks and this includes chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking, and honeymoon tourism for honey mooners who at times opt to go for wildlife tourism too, fishing tourism, birding tourism

Tanzania has been largely promoting national parks tourism forgetting other areas which also have great potential. The government and other stakeholders should now encourage tourists to spend time in the country, not only to rush from one park to the other. Tanzania has perfect climate, very nice people and good food. There is need to promote lifestyle tourism. With more than 900 km of coastline, tourists could even buy their own houses and come and spend their winter time here, bringing investment and cash. The same is true for the mainland in places like Iringa, Mwanza, and Bukoba.

According to Ryen, local bed and breakfast should be promoted by allowing people to start their own business as it happens in South Africa, but regulation must be simple and easy, otherwise all investors, foreigners and locals will be discouraged.He said Tanzania has a lot of potential which needed to be fully utilized by both local and foreign tourists, from the coastline beaches, with all connected activities, such as diving, snorkeling, surfing, sport fishing and visiting historical sites such as Kilwa.

Ryen said other countries especially in Africa have managed to promote other types of tourism, which led to increased foreign earnings. Citing South Africa as an example, he said apart from animal viewing in national parks, more than 90% of tourists in the country visited other tourist attractions. Tourists’ arrival in South Africa currently stands at 6 million per annum. According to Mr Ryen, his company plans to develop untapped tourism potential in the southern circuit of Tanzania this year.

Experience shows that southern parks and reserves including Mikumi, Udzungwa Mountains, Selous, Ruaha and Katavi receive very few visitors compared to their northern counterparts and offer a unique African wilderness experience.

The company in collaboration with the Rufiji District Council, is in the process to develop Lake Utunge Photographic Project which would be used for tourism activities. The project was authorized last year.

Once started the project would help villagers around to get employment, increase revenue, construction of two camping sites and rehabilitation of airstrip. The project would also help to reduce poaching and illegal logging since the area would be under surveillance.

Utunge area which covers 350 sq. km is a home of various species of animals, including elephants, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, impala, lions, leopards and the very rare wild dogs.

 Experts in the tourism industry are optimistic that cultural tourism resources will continue to serve as a base for Tanzania’s tourism industry.

The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) is going to host well-wishers to a lavish birthday party on Friday which has not been seen in the recent past.

This birthday party is for Zakayo, the oldest chimp at UWEC which will be turning 44.

Zakayo the alpha male is one of our flagship animals at the centre. UWEC has organised to celebrate his birthday with a couple of activities which will include a lot of entertainment and also people will get an opportunity  to see the different animals that are kept at the zoo which will be fun for both the young and old.
Zakayo is said to be a favourite to visitors at the Centre and is a historical member of the centre who deserves a celebrated birthday with the public. Similar occasions organised in the past saw school children line up to witness the birthday celebration, participate in a quiz competition and question-answer session, organised by the zoo authorities on the occasion in a bid to spread the conservation message.

According to UWEC, Zakayo was found in June 1972 at Semuliki in Bundibugyo and was hand-raised. The chimp was later surrendered to the Entebbe Zoo on June 10, 1976. The chimp is said to be very fatherly.

Chimpanzees are also found in different national parks of Uganda. These include Kibale National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Budongo Forest in Murchison Falls National Park and Ngamba Sanctuary where chimpanzee tracking activities are done by tourists who usually visit those national parks.
Other activities are also done in the national parks such as game drives, boat trips and forest walks.

According to UWEC, Zakayo has sired eight off springs and is very protective towards the younger chimps. He is always the last to go out in the mornings and the last to get inside in the evenings.

UWEC appealed to the public to continue supporting the centre. Tourism was declared Uganda’s second largest income earner last year

Africa’s travel experts’ Abacus African Vacations has launched three new websites for Abacus Uganda Safaris, a department dedicated towards organizing quality Uganda Safaris. These sites are dedicated towards offering different Uganda Safaris and specialty tour packages that include Uganda Gorilla Tours, Uganda wildlife Safaris, cultural safaris, hiking safaris, chimp tours and birding trips to the Pearl of Africa. The tour packages sold by these sites accommodate all the needs of today’s travellers and include budget tour packages as well as luxury tour packages. The new sites that that have been launched include www.ugandansafaris.com , www.ugandansafari.com or www.ugandan-safari.com

In a bid to promote local community participation in Uganda, Abacus Uganda Safaris has set aside 10% of the funds from each tour booked on these 3 sites towards training different safari guides from Uganda’s local communities neighbouring the different protected areas in Uganda.

These sites will feature news articles too about tourism and travel in Uganda and all the different aspects of the tour industry and they are also aimed at providing updated news on travel in Uganda with an aim of providing onetime information on the Uganda’s tourism industry as well as the latest safari events.

Rwanda’s blossoming and lush jungle forests, mountain gorillas, endemic bird species, beautiful lakes and a stable growing economy have made it rise in the tourism industry just like Uganda though people have not yet realized the beautiful trend.
Tourists who visit Rwanda however benefit from the efforts of the Rwandan Tourism Board (ORTPN), which has dedicated itself so much to the development and promotion of sustainable eco-tourism and conservation. Rwanda has made effort to protect the mountain gorillas which have for long been the country’s major tourist attractions found mainly in Parc National des Volcanoes and in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
Rwanda also boasts of a wide range of bird species. It boosts the highest concentration of different bird species in Africa with high levels of endemism, hosting champions such as the much sought after Shoebill Stork and Albertine Rift endemics.
In 2007, ORTPN committed itself to the development of its birding product so that travelers worldwide could benefit from Rwanda’s birds. In April 2008, the Rwanda Birding Association (RBA) was formed in order to support the ORTPN avitourism efforts. Together, ORTPN and RBA are building a world-class avitourism destination.
Avitourism is a rare form of tourism found in very few areas; this is done in places where birds occur. In Uganda, avitourism is conducted in Mabira Forest, Ruhija, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mabamba, Lake Mburo National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park.
In Rwanda, ORTPN believes that avitourism has the potential to financially impact even the most off-the-beaten path areas of Rwanda, areas that currently never see tourists.
Currently, ORTPN and RBA are working to develop birding routes-branded walking paths offering birders friendly establishments, and have access to highly skilled birding guides and trekkers – as a way to bring tourism to Rwanda’s most remote regions.
With this effort, Rwanda could become the next stop for the avid birder, and tap into currently $7 billion industry. It has got birds, it has the variety, and perhaps most importantly, it has easy access.

The 11th annual Rwanda International Trade Fair (RITF2008) that brings together local and foreign exhibitors from all countries especially the East African Countries which include Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. This trade fair will kick off from August 28 to September 8 in Kigali. The event is organised by Rwanda Private Sector together with the Ministry of trade and industry.
Exhibition and Events Organizers is Kenyan based firm that has been hired to manage the 12 day event expected to entice shoppers to Rwanda’s capital Kigali.  This exhibition aims at bringing business people together in order for them to interact, network and also for the Rwandese people to be able to come and see what the business community is doing. The event too is a very good opportunity for the companies to launch new products and get new customers. 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.
The event manager said they had sent out over 5, 000 invitations meanwhile, as of last week, foreign companies from Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, Ghana and South Africa had confirmed their participation. The fair will be held in two big tents capable of hosting 400 stands placed on a dust free ground, covered with grass contrary to the previous exhibitions.
Ephraim Karangwa, the Trade fairs and Promotion Manager at Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF), said that the importation of the two tents increased the total cost for the event from Rwf300m (close to $545,454) to Rwf400m (close to $727,272). The PSF is also working on a project to set up a permanent expo building likely to cost Euro60million.
The exhibitors will be grouped in six ‘sectoral villages’ ranging from ICTs, International pavilion, industrial, services, general trading and small and medium enterprises. The industrial pavilion has attracted many exhibitors, according to Wambua. The organizers have also secured spaces for motor vehicle dealers, fun fairs, restaurants and bars and one to one meetings.

Heathrow’s Terminal 5 is preparing for a busy summer ahead as it celebrates 100 days since it opened in March.
Since it opening, British Airways has handled about 5 million travellers through the terminal and has handled more than 38,000 flights, a statement issued by the airline said.
The Chief executive officer said that everyday he gets emails, letters or comments from travellers all over the world telling him how much they enjoy using the new terminal. When the terminal opened, it was handling around 40,000 customers a day. As the summer holidays approach, passenger numbers are expected to rise from an average 57,000 a day at present to more than 65,000 a day.
He further added that the punctuality and baggage performance levels are significantly improved on this time last year and check-in queues are much reduced.

Emirates Airlines the leading Arab Emirates airline has come up with a new strategy to deal with the flight delays that occur at Dubai Airport. Passengers in Dubai using Emirates Airlines will have to be at the boarding date 35 minutes before departure. The gate will close 15 minutes before departure.
A press statement notes that the change is to help tourists avoid delays and missed connections.
Mohammed H Mattar, Emirates’ senior vice president Airport services noted in a recent press statement that Emirates is implementing the 15 minutes before departure gate closure in departure gate closure in consideration of their customers who usually arrive on time for their flights. The new policy will allow the aircraft to take off as scheduled since it takes about 15-minutes to locate and off-load the baggage of missing or late comers.

Emirates Airlines is among the top airlines transporting travellers to Uganda. These include business tourists, conventional travellers and leisure tourists taking Uganda Safaris, Gorilla Tours, Uganda Wildlife Safaris as well as other Uganda Tours. Forecasts show that nearly 11 million passengers are expected to go through Dubai during this summer season (May –September).

The reconstruction of the 150km Masaka-Mbarara highway, at a cost of sh237b, has started. This project is undertaken by Reynolds Construction Company of Nigeria and supervised by AIC Progetti. It is expected to be completed within three years. The road to undergo reconstruction starts from near the Masaka bypass junction and stretches to Mbarara town.

The reconstruction of this road has been welcomed by Uganda’s tour operators. This road is among the tourist infrastructure that has been ignored in the tourism industry in Uganda. The road links to some of Uganda’s national parks which are important tourist sites in Uganda. The parks include Lake Mburo national park, an important safari destination for wildlife tours, Queen Elizabeth National Park important for chimpanzee tours and game viewing safaris, Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Gorilla Forest National Park, prominent parks for gorilla safaris. In addition to that this road is also the main route that tourists use to transfer to Rwanda which is another famous tourist destination for gorilla tracking.

According to the Minister of Works, Housing and Construction in Uganda, other roads to be reconstructed under the massive project include a 5.5km stretch from Masaka town on the Masaka-Kyotera road. John Nasasira the minister of works said at the ground-breaking ceremony in Lyantonde town yesterday that they are grateful for the support from the EU which has made this project a reality. 

He added on 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.

He further revealed that the Masaka-Mbarara works would have kicked off in 2005 but had been delayed by the long tendering process. On completion, the road will benefit about 6,000 vehicles that ply the route every day.

The King of Swaziland Mswati the 3rd and his wife Queen Lamoba as well as their family members took a Uganda Tour on a state visit in which they visited Uganda’s best and top visited safari destinations: the Source of the Nile, the longest river in the world and Bujagali Falls found in Eastern Uganda.

After this tour, King Mswati had a private dinner at State house Entebbe, before embarking on a day long tour of other establishments in the country including a visit to the anti-retro viral plant and Quality Chemicals. The king who ascended the Swaziland Throne in 1986 later visited the Kabaka of Buganda, the head of Buganda Kingdom..

The Source of the Nile is one of the major tourist attraction sites in Uganda and has been rated among the top tourism destination visted in Uganda by tourists taking their Uganda Safari in this beautiful country of East Africa. The Nile is also Africa’s longest River: the Nile begins its 6,400 kilometer journey to the Mediterranean Sea from its source in Jinja while the Bujagali Falls ranks among the top adventure safari destination in Africa given its grade 5 rapids.

The royal couple arrived in Uganda on Sunday for a four-day state visit. They were received at the Source of the Nile by the Mayor of Jinja Municipal Council, Mohammed Keezaala and other Municipal officials. In his remarks, King Mswati hailed Uganda for effectively conserving the River and urged them never to relax this noble cause.

 The royal family, who were accompanied by Uganda’s Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Ham Mulira and the State minister for Gender Rukia Isanga earlier, also visited Bujagali Hydro Electricity Power Plant, the site where the new hydro-power dam is being constructed. The Swazi royal guests were fascinated by the divers who entertained tourists at the site with their breathtaking diving and swimming skills.

Apart from Bujagali Falls and the Source of the Nile, other major tourist attractions in Uganda include National Parks, religious sites, and cultural sites. There are also several tourist activities that can be done in Uganda and these include gorilla safaris, chimpanzee tours, wildlife safaris, cultural safaris, hiking safaris and mountaineering tours to the Mountains of the Moon and Mt Elgon.

Makerere University has opened up a cultural village to exhibit Uganda’s culture and tourist sites during the ongoing 5th All Africa University Games. The games that were officially launched by President Yoweri Museveni yesterday will run until July 16. The cultural centre, based near Nkrumah Hall, is sponsored by Nile Breweries under its social corporate responsibility programme.

Speaking at the launch of the cultural village on Sunday, Moses Bwambale, the coordinator, said the centre would guide participants from the over 20 African countries on Uganda’s cultures and tourism potential. He also noted that there is need to create a sense of identity and avoid a cultural shock to the visitors.

This will also help increase on the investments got from the tourism industry in Uganda and will also help acknowledge Uganda’s tourism potential to the rest of the African countries who will learn more about Uganda’s tourism and get to know that it has got various tourists activities such as cultural tourism which is the theme for the event, wildlife safari activities which take place in Uganda’s National Parks such as Queen Elizabeth National Park, Semliki National Park, KidepoValley National Park, gorilla safaris which are done mainly in Bwindi Gorilla Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Other tourist activities include chimpanzee tracking activities in Kibale Forest National Park, birding activities, mountaineering and hiking activities in Mt. Elgon National Park and Mt. Rwenzori National Park.

The cultural village has an entertainment centre, a canteen and art gallery, which among others displays local art and foodstuffs.

He said acclaimed local musicians and cultural groups would perform at the village. The prominent Ugandan artist Jose Chameleon is one of the Ugandan local musicians who will perform and the Goldenbit, a newly-formed Makerere University cultural group.

He also thanked Nile Breweries for the support.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is planning to start mock tourism on two newly habituated gorilla groups based in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in southwestern Uganda. This is in a bid to test the gorilla’s readiness to receive tourists. Struggling to soak up the ever-growing demand for gorilla tours in Uganda, as well as increasing demand for gorilla tracking permits, in 2006, the wildlife body has passed a resolution allowing for habituation of two new gorilla groups in Bwindi impenetrable gorilla park.

The decision to habituate more gorillas in Uganda was informed by high demand for permits, the location of the two groups, and loss of tourists to neighboring DR Congo and Rwanda, the fact that one of the already existing groups could disintegrate among other reasons.
For the last two years now, trackers on gorilla tracking safaris have followed the gorillas on a daily basis to make them familiar and comfortable with human beings. Habituation is a process that enables mountain gorillas lose their fear of humans and in the same way cannot be harmful to humans.

The mountain gorillas of Bwindi have been habituated for eco-tourism in the dense Bwindi Forest since April of 1993. The habituation process involves collecting data on each individual gorilla in the group especially with regard to feeding habits, personality traits, temperament, physical features, general health, grooming and how they react in different situations.

Mock tourism will be carried out over a period of four to six months. Ms. Eunice Mahoro explained that Mock Tourism involves the systematic introduction of different colours, with different colours, with different smells and different voices, and they carry all sorts of gadgets such as cameras and recorders, all of which are foreign to the gorillas. Mock tourism enables the gorillas to get used to such things. It is the final phase of the habituation process.

The two new groups are called Bitukura (13 members) in Ruhija, Kabale district and Nsongi in Rushaga (28 members), Kisoro district. These will join Mubare, Rushegura, Habinyanja and Nkuringo to charm the tourists who pay USD 500 for each gorilla tracking permit. The permits are valid for just one gorilla safari.

Launching of the two new gorilla groups will address the problem of chronic shortages of gorilla tracking permits that has limited Uganda Tour Operators from booking more gorilla tours this season. Currently, only four gorilla groups are available for tourism in Uganda, and each is allowed only eight visitors per day, which makes a total of 32 permits per day. As a result, there has been difficulty in meeting the high demand for Uganda gorilla safaris tracking permits especially during the heavy tourist seasons that stretch from June to September and from November to February.With the two new groups, the number of available permits per day will increase to 48.

The local communities in Kabale and Kisoro districts will also greatly benefit from the additional gorilla tour groups through increased access to a larger market for their goods and services such as handcrafts, cultural performances and general entertainment.
The expanded gorilla tourism is also expected to trigger improvements in infrastructure such as roads, facilities, communications, transport and local business. Gorilla tourism started in Uganda in 1994, and since then it has captured the hearts of many international tourists especially from Europe and America who are always excited to see famed primates.

The gorillas have also been the subject of many documentaries and films produced by reputable media and film companies. A research that was carried out in 2006 discovered that the population of gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park had grown by 12% from 300 in 1997 to 340 by 2006. In the world, there are only 700 remaining mountain gorillas. Scientists have revealed that half of the remaining mountain gorillas live in Uganda’s two national parks of Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National parks. Mountain gorillas are threatened by a number of factors. Gorillas are grossly endangered by poaching, commercial trade, disease and civil wars, and are therefore classified under appendix 1 of the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna(CITES).

Egypt has showed interest in investing in Uganda’s tourism industrial sector.
This arose during a meeting by a delegation of Egyptian ministers of International Co-operation, Mrs. Fayza Aboulnaga, and that of Agriculture, Mr. Amin Abaza, with Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni at State House, Entebbe last week. The North African country agreed to form a joint business venture with Uganda.
A statement from the presidency last week said the two parties agreed to form a partnership in wheat growing, building an abattoir and an animal feed plant hence developing agricultural tourism in the tourism sector of Uganda just like wildlife tourism which has Uganda safari packages such as gorilla tracking tours, chimpanzee tracking safaris, hiking safaris, cultural tours etc and this has developed the tourism sector in Uganda and brings a lot of foreign exchange from foreign visitors who come to do the different tourism activities.

The President assured the Egyptians that within the next 24 months Uganda will have enough power to satisfy all industrial power needs and the other power consumers. He also assured then that the land for their projects will be availed.
Mr. Museveni said the way forward for Africa is to strengthen the African Union economically and politically for faster and more effective implementation of the strategies laid down for the development of the continent. The Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation, Mrs. Fayza Aboulnaga said he would like to build a resort hotel on one of the beautiful beaches on Lake Victoria to boost tourism.
Though the president welcomed the idea, he encouraged her to consider investing in fruit processing because there are a lot of fruits which are rotting and can be used in Ugandan industries.

The Buganda Kingdom has set July 1^st as the day to celebrate Buganda Tourism Day which is set to celebrated annually as away of cherishing Buganda’s valuable tourist attractions ranging from ancestral places and artifacts.
According to Buganda Kingdom Tourism Minister Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, the three-day celebration which is set to be presided over by Buganda Katikkiro John Baptist Walusimbi as the Guest of Honour will showcase Buganda’s rich tourism resources to the public both locally and internationally.
She added that her office is a new one in the Buganda Kingdom but it is starting in high gear. “We are unveiling Buganda Tourism house where Buganda’s arts and crafts, Buganda’s literature, pictures of past and present kings, videos of Buganda literature, pictures of past and present kings, videos of Buganda’s main events will be sold”, she added.
She also continued to say that this will rhyme with the Katikkiro programme of improving and benefiting the rural poor as women will be able to get markets for their handcrafts like mats, baskets, backcloths weaving etc.
She further explained that the three main palaces of emphasis have been cleared that is Bulange, the sear of the kingdom, the Lubiri, official royal residence and the Kabaka’s lake in Ndeeba, which is another tourist attraction.
The day’s theme is “Unveiling Buganda’s Beauty.” Nakiwala also added that the entire Kabakanjagala Road has been refurbished, gardens set up infront of Lubiri and the tourism office in Bulange is ready.
The office is to assist tourists intending to visit any of Buganda’s tourism sites like the Kasubi, Wamala royal tombs, Naggalabi, several palaces by providing directories, tour maps and others. Nakiwala added that next year, they will start constructing Buganda Museum which will have many of Buganda’s Historical monuments and artifacts just like the Uganda Museum.

It is estimated to cost a whopping shs.1.5bn and has already been earmarked for that. On the same day, new leaders in her ministry will be sworn in. She called upon all Baganda and their supporters that is Ugandans at large to turn up in big numbers on Tuesday at Bulange according to their clans and know more about their leaders and also view for themselves the treasure in Buganda’s tourism potential as they come to love it.
This day will not only benefit Buganda as a kingdom but it will also benefit Uganda at large especially the tourism sector. Ugandans will get to know that their country has got many tourism attractions and go for these Uganda Safaris, visit the different tourist attractions like the Uganda national parks such as Bwindi gorilla forest national park for gorilla tour, Kibale chimpanzee Forest for primates safaris, Queen Elizabeth National Park for Uganda wildlife tour, Semliki National Park, Mgahinga National park for gorilla trek, Kidepo Valley National Park and many more. This will help Uganda boost it’s tourism industry both locally and internationally, the locals will also be informed about the tour packages that the Uganda local tour operators have to offer such as gorilla safaris, chimpanzee tracking tours, hiking safaris, honey moon packages, birding tours and cultural tours too.

East African Community (EAC) ministers in charge of immigration are yet to meet to consider a proposal for a common tourist visa proposal, which if adopted, would bring to the fore benefits of marketing East Africa as a single travel package.
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda’s state-run tourism agencies already market East Africa at international fairs as a single destination but failure by immigration bosses to make progress on the adoption of the proposal, has failed an unprecedented move that would boost revenues and tourist numbers.
The East African Community ministers said that they were still studying the proposal and looking at issues like how they will share the revenues and the like because there are a lot of financial implications. No progress has been made in Tanzania as the immigration bosses are yet to meet and consider the proposal.
The proposal was mooted by the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) more than three years ago. In Kenya, the situation is the same as is the case in Tanzania, but there are plans to introduce visa stickers. The EAC Council of Ministers, which is the designated decision making authority on all matters that touch on the sovereignty, revenue, policy and immigration matters, is the organ that will ultimately adopt the joint visas for tourists.

A single tourist visa would allow tourists to travel through a series of endless borders to sample the unique attractions that all the East African countries have to offer.
The EAC Secretariat has listed the single tourist visa among its foremost future plans and had initially hoped that it would have been agreed upon by the five states, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda by November 2006.
Tourists continue to demand to sample the entire array of tourist attractions spread across the region, from Mombasa’s breathtaking beaches, Tanzania’s Ngorogoro Crater, the chimpanzee parks in Tanzania and Uganda and Rwanda’s mountain gorillas.
While the technocrats are still considering the proposal, their reluctance to agree on a joint visa for tourists, has however not crippled the joint promotional activity.
The strategy has been applied during international tourism exhibitions where tents of all the five member states have been placed close to each other.
According to the plan, a tourist would apply for visa in any one of the five states and would travel uninterrupted to all the countries.

Tourist boards from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are the joint inventors of the plan, a crosscutting measure which aims to standardize all tourism facilities in the region, including hotels and other tourism facilities. Tanzania’s Tourist Board (TTB) favours a system where member countries market their tourist attractions independently with a joint banner bearing common features designed by the EAC Secretariat on the background of the booths. These initiatives are aimed at ensuring decisions made by the Council of Ministers on promotion and cooperation in tourism.

Tanzania is Kenya’s most serious competitor as a tourist destination for foreign tourists after the US followed by the UK and South Africa. Uganda is also ranked among the top 10 tourism destinations in the world with a 6.2% preference level compared with the 21.7% who prefer to travel to the US. This is because Uganda has got various tourist activities as compared to the rest of the East African Countries. It has got 10 national parks which have a lot of activities done by tourists and these include for example Queen Elizabeth common for game drives, Lake Mburo well known for birding tours, Kibale Forest famous for chimpanzee tracking activities, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is famous for gorilla tracking, Murchison Falls National Park where tourists do a lot of activities including climbing to the top of the falls, Semliki National Park also known for game drives, Kidepo Valley National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Mount Elgon National Park and Mount Rwenzori National Park.

Uganda does not only have national parks as tourist destination sites but it has also got cultural sites where tourists go for cultural tours such as Amabere Ga Nyinamwiru in Fort Portal district, Ssezibwa Falls in the Central district, Kasubi Tombs where the royals kings of Buganda are buried, Karambi Tombs, Namugongo martyrs shrine as a religious site and Bahai temple. Tourists also interested in mountain climbing and hiking safaris find the best adventure in Uganda because of the existence of mountains such as Mt. Elgon, Mt. Rwenzori.

In terms of rankings, Tanzania is closer at 17.5%. These rankings are powerful indicator that the East Africa Region has potential to become one of the world’s biggest global attractions as a single package rather than disjointed bloc.

Uganda female chimpanzees have hunger for sex with as many males as possible, and keep their mouths shut about it to boost their chances of luring the top chimps, according to British university.

Scientists at the University of St. Andrews studied the copulation sounds the chimpanzees make sometime during mating.These chimpanzees are found in some of Uganda’s National Parks which include Kibale Forest National Park, Semliki National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, game reserves like Ngamba Island Sanctuary, which are famous tourism sites for chimpanzee tracking, and eco-tourism sites like Budongo Forest and Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC).

The Scottish institution’s team concluded that female chimps sometimes keep quiet during sex so their female rivals do not find out what they have been up to.

Evolutionary psychologists Simon Townsend and Klaus Zuberbuhler studied chimp behaviour in Budongo Forest in Uganda for over 16 months and the team established that female chimpanzees hide their sexual activity when high-ranking females are nearby, perhaps in a bid to reduce competition for good quality males. This prevents higher-ranking female chimpanzees from turning on them.

They also found out that the females produce more copulation calls when high-ranking males are around to attract them to have sex. The scientists believe that having sex with several males causes confusion among the male chimpanzees as to which one sired the offspring. The males are therefore less likely to kill any babies that might be theirs.

The study found no evidence that males were competing to have sex with females after they produced copulation calls, and no link between a female’s fertility and her use of the calls.

According to the scientists, they say that chimpanzee females adjust their calling behaviour in flexible ways, potentially to avoid aggression from other females and possibly to secure future benefits from the socially important males.

“Competition between females can be dangerously high in wild chimpanzees. These females use their copulation calls in highly tactical ways to minimize the risks associated with such competition.”

Conservationists raised the alarm that lions in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park face extinction within a few years unless action is taken to help them. According to Terry Garcia, executive vice president at National Geographic society, she said that the situation reached a critical level unless something is done immediately; there will be no more lions in this park in Kenya which is a tragedy for Kenya’s tourism industry.
Fewer than 100 lions are estimated to remain in the 2,200 sq mile region at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro on the Kenya-Tanzania border, said the society.

Lions are the major attraction at Amboseli, a popular visiting spot for tourists taking Kenya Safaris. A major reason for the decline of the lions, researchers say, is spearing and poisoning by local Maasai, whose society depends on raising cattle. The society announced it is making an emergency grant of $150,000 to the Maasailand Preservation trust to support a compensation fund for herdsmen whose livestock are killed by lions in and around Amboseli. Such compensation plans have succeeded in other areas, according to the conservation group living with lions.

Between 2003 and 2007, a total of 63 lions were killed in properties owned by the Maasai, Kuku Group ranch and Olgulului Group ranch, said Laurence Frank, the director of Living with Lions. The director said that on Mbirikani Ranch, where compensation began in 2003, only four lions were killed due to predator-livestock conflict during the same period. He further added that before there was a sharp spike in killings in Maasailand but for the past two years, rates are not as high, but the killings will continue to be bad that’s if something is not done immediately, we will see these lions go extinct locally in just a few years.

For long Africa’s protected areas have been threatened by pastoralist communities which always carry out hunting and poisoning of wild game most especially predators. It should be noted that lions got extinct in Lake Mburo National Park after being hunted down by Bahima Communities that live adjacent to the boundaries of the park. With such a situation in Africa’s protected areas, there is need to create tourism awareness not only in nomadic pastoralist communities but also in other protected areas where human wildlife conflicts are common. In Uganda, other protected areas that have suffered from human wildlife conflicts include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, famous for gorilla safaris, Kibale Forest National Park, famous chimpanzee tours, Murchison Falls National Park etc.

According to a presentation titled, summary of opportunities for investment and partnership with UWA, the executive director Mr. Moses Mapesa said that every one of the ten Uganda national parks requires extra accommodation. Beside accommodation within or outside the parks, there are also opportunities for constructing stop over facilities such as hotels, lodges,  guesthouses, motels on the way to the parks, which are located far away from the parks and Kampala city as well. Take an example of Kidepo Valley National Park which is 730 km northeast of Kampala city and a journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park takes seven hours from Kampala as well. Last year park tourism accounted for some 120,000 visitors and the numbers according to sector players are galloping yet accommodation facilities continue to be a limiting factor.

Mapesa said that about two weeks ago, he was in Europe where he met big tour operators. They are large tour and travel operators and are looking for alternative tourist circuits and they had chosen Uganda. These will not be offshoots of tourists going to Kenya or South Africa. They are high end destinations and because of that they need high end tourists who are looking for high-end facilities. That is why UWA would like to work with private sector to establish and refurbish tourism infrastructure.

According to the summary of investments. In the Bwindi-Mgahinga circuit, there is need for a transit lodge/ motel at Muko Forest, a bush camp facility at near Kihihi town and a high and mid range facility at Rushanga and Ruhinja. As far as stop over facilities go on this circuit, there is need for a midrange and budget accommodation for visitors to Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP), conference facilities, accommodation for all categories of tourists and Internet services in Mbarara Town.

There is also need for luxury tented camps/ ecolodges on the shores of lava-dammed lakes around Kisoro, facilities to offer water based activities and community cultural attractions. Mapesa further said that there is need for a 4-star hotel, with full tourist recreational facilities on UWA prime land in Mbarara town. There is also need for a stop over facilities en-route to LMNP, Queen Elizabeth National Park at the equator crossing. Within QENP, there are six accommodation slots available for a tented midrange accommodation and catering facilities, mid range accommodation, catering and other tourist services outside the park. He also noted that there are many stopover opportunities in Kasese town including an up market, mid range accommodation with a view of the areas along the escarpment and luxury tented camp and eco lodges.
In Rwenzori Mountains National Park, opportunities includes within and outside the park and camping sites or alternative better accommodation. Opportunities in the Kibale-Semliki area are a high-end hotel at the hot springs with provision for natural spa bath for clients, upgrade campsite with Bandas and catering facilities.

Stop-over opportunities include an up market hotel at Ntoroko for both tourists and cross border businessmen and water sports tourists and a major hotel at Kagadi Township to break the long journeys between Murchison Falls National Park and Fort Portal area. In the Murchison Falls area opportunities for investment in accommodation include a mid-end and budget accommodation include a mid end and budget accommodation facilities (Masindi, Packwach, Karuma and Arua towns)

The Association of Uganda Tour Operators, an umbrella association bringing together UgandaTour Operator companies has got new members that are to spear head the development of tour operation business in Uganda. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Association, held on the 29^th May 2008 at Serena Hotel Achwa Conference Hall saw the election of new committee members.

Mr. Okecho Henry was voted the new chairperson of AUTO with Mr. Cam McLeay as Vice Chairperson. Mrs. Barbara A. Vauhelleputte was voted the Association Secretary,
Ms. Jane Goldring as the Treasurer. Other Committee members include Ms.Charlotte Kamugisha, Mr. Mohit, Mr. Baluku Geoffrey and Mr. Boniface Byamukama who contested on the position of Chairperson and lost to Okecho.

During the meeting, participants raised a number of concerns which included marketing of Uganda as a safari destination on the World Travel Market, Inclusion of AUTO in the Strategic Planning Process, Discussion of 2008 tariff review, re-negotiation of Gorilla and Chimpanzee Permit Policies, successful negotiation of Gorilla Permit commissions among others. Other matters of concern raised during the meeting include the issue of Nkuringo Gorilla Permits that were privatized to Uganda Safari Company by Uganda Wildlife Authority. The new committee agreed to address all these concerns including that of privatization of Nkuringo Gorilla Permits so that tourism can be promoted in Uganda. The best safari destination in Africa for taking gorilla safaris, chimpanzee tracking tours among others.

At the meeting, many Uganda Safari Operators also raised concern about the licensing problem where by it is involved with a lot of bureaucratic tendencies. In a reaction, Ms. Hilda Nekesa an Administrator at AUTO said that she went to the Ministry of Trade Tourism and industry, and addressed that issue of providing licenses to the tour operators but the officials at the ministry said that some tour operators do not register for the licenses and continue claiming for them which becomes a problem. She advised the Uganda tour operators to register and then claim for their licenses and also promised to help anyone who will have registered and not provided with the license.

Ms. Tanah  Hadijah  the Tours  Manager of Abacus African Vacations  was  among the members who  attended the meeting and she  raised  a  concern  that  tour companies should  ensure that  they  employ  tour  guides  who  are  professional  because  these  guides  spend most of the time with  the clients  who give business to the tour operators.

The meeting was ended  after the elections and the present members were invited for a cocktail party which was organised by Serena Hotel as an appreciation to the tour operators.

The world’s only surviving twin mountain gorilla in Rwanda turned four on Tuesday as the other 20 baby gorillas are to be named soon. The twin gorillas Byishimo (happiness) and Impano (gift) were born on May 20^th 2004 to a proud mother Nyabyitondere in the Susa family of gorillas in Parc National Des Volcanoes in northern Rwanda. When the twins were born, nobody could imagine seeing both the gorillas live up to their fourth birthday.

According to the director general of Rwanda tourism board, Ms. Rosette Rugumba, said that not only is the birth of twins among gorillas very rare but when it happens the survival of both twins is extremely unusual. She said that conservationists and regular observers have always been concerned about the chances of the twins surviving and the ability of their mother taking care of them as they were growing older. However the mother of these twin gorillas has provided them with the necessary motherhood they deserved to survive the cold environment of the Volcanoes National Park.

The young blessings to Rwanda and the world were proudly baptized Byishimo (happiness) and Impano (gift), the president Paul Kagame and his wife Mrs. Jeannette Kagame in a public gorilla naming ceremony in 2005. The survival of the twins is another symbolic testimony of prosperity as well as its importance as a safari destination where gorilla safaris can be taken.

Each baby gorilla birth is a huge contribution towards the population growth. For Rwanda internationally advocate for gorilla conservation, gorilla naming was launched in 2005, Kwita Izina means naming the new born baby. In May 2005, 30 gorillas were given names. This year, 20 will be named in a public ceremony to be held on June 21, in the northern province of the country near the home of Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. Under the theme “Working Together for Our Wildlife,” this year’s event will attract about 100 key personalities in wildlife conservation and business sectors.

Rwanda is home to about one third of the 750 mountain gorillas only left in world in the world. Other countries where mountain gorillas can be found are Uganda where more than half of the remaining mountain gorillas live in Bwindi Gorilla Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite the prescence of mountain gorillas in Congo, Uganda and Rwanda remain as the most safe African destinations for gorilla tours and safaris. Over the past 10years, Uganda and Rwanda have benefited a lot from gorilla tourism given that many tourists have taken mountain gorilla trekking safaris with in these countries. Last year, tourism ranked the second foreign currency earner for the country and the major cause for this trend is mainly due to gorilla tourism. Many Safari companies today are selling gorilla tour packages that can enable tourists do gorilla tracking with in Uganda and Rwanda. Gorilla safaris are combined with many other tour products that may include chimpanzee tours to Kibale National park in Uganda  and Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda, cultural safaris, hiking safaris among others.

A baby crocodile has been found in an abandoned crate at Entebbe International Airport, Uganda, a week after it was stolen from the nearby Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC). The crocodile, which had its jaws tied, was wrapped in diapers and then put in a crate.

According to Andrew Seguya, the executive director of the centre, it was suspected that the trafficker could not beat the security detail at the airport and evaded arrest by abandoning the crate,” The theft of this crocodile was reported to the Entebbe Police Station.” Police said the suspect disappeared, but declined to provide more details, insisting that investigations were being undertaken. “This has made the task of identifying the traffickers very difficult, but it shows that reptiles, especially crocodiles and snakes are being smuggled out of the country,” said Seguya. “It is important to keep animals for conservation education at the centre.”

Other sources within the wildlife education centre point out that the theft could have been executed with the help of an insider with links to wildlife traffickers. “I do not think this was the hand of only foreigners, I tend to believe Ugandans are engaged in such crime and they should stop,” said Seguya. “We need to be patriotic because this is a heritage, which should not be plundered.”

Seguya said the expensive display window through which visitors to the wildlife centre used to look at the crocodile was also vandalised as the suspects broke it using a huge stone before taking away the reptile.
Prior to the recovery of the crocodile, detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department went to the scene of crime, which had footmarks leading to the shores of Lake Victoria, indicating the thieves used a boat to accomplish their mission.The crocodile has been sent to UWEC, formerly known as Entebbe Zoo, where it being kept in a quarantine facility pending provision of more security at the centre. “We will keep it at this facility until there is adequate security at the reptile house,” said a reptile keeper at the centre. The crocodile was mid-last year rescued from a fisherman who was selling it at Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe. UWEC intervened following a tip from a concerned citizen. The Nile crocodile are categorised as critically endangered species and it is against national and international laws to keep them in captivity without the necessary permit.

Though reptile do not rank among the top tourism attractions in Uganda, they have attracted a considerable number of tourists to different Uganda safari parks most especially Murchison Falls National Park where they can easily be seen.

The International Species Information System, which maintains records on animals at 700 institutions around the world, said Africa leads in. The curator of conservation and science at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Ohio and the gorilla species survival plan coordinator for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums said it’s amazing and thinks it’s a testament to the good care that she’s received at the Dallas Zoo and also the resilience of gorillas in general.

She added that gorillas in the wild normally would live to age 30 or 35. Health care protection from predators has extended the lifespan in zoos. Jenny gave birth in 1965 to a female named Vicki, who was sent to Alberta, Canada, at the age of 5. Zoo officials aren’t sure why Jenny hasn’t conceived again. Jenny’s keepers describe her as very sweet though a little bossy. Bowsher said that if Jenny doesn’t want to go out on a certain day she doesn’t go out but very friendly to people.

There were plenty of them at the Jake L. Hamon Gorilla Research Center chowing down on giant sheets of chocolate and vanilla birthday cake as they peered at Jenny through the glass. Born in the wild of western central Africa in 1953, the exact date of her birth is unknown but the zoo marks it on May 8^th. Jenny lived with a family on the Cape Verde islands before the Dallas zoo acquired her in 1957. Nancy Hamon of Dallas whose family bought the gorilla for the zoo and continues to be among its strongest supporters said she remembers the day Jenny arrived.

Jenny, a 213 pound Western lowland gorilla, is one of four gorillas at the zoo.
Sean Greene the director of Community Relations for the Dallas Zoological Society said the upbeat birthday party was a welcome contrast to the tragedy that occurred in 2004 when another gorilla, 13 year old Jabari, broke out of his enclosure. He went on a 40 minute rampage in which he snatched up a toddler with his teeth and attacked three other people before officers shot him.

Gorillas are the heaviest living creatures in the world. They are differentiated into two: lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are endangered and their remaining population is estimated to be about 700 individuals only. These great apes are  found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks of Uganda, Volacnoes Goriilla Park of Rwanda and Democratic Congo. In the past decade mountain gorilla tracking has become one of the most famous world class tourism activity that has been developed in mainly Uganda and Rwanda that have become famous gorilla safari destinations.

One of the oldest silverback mountain gorillas is dead. With the age of 50, he was the oldest and leader of the Nkuringo group of 18 gorillas. His body was found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on April 28.

According to the chief warden of both Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks, Asa Kure Musinguzi, he said Nkuringo died of old age. Gorillas have a life expectancy of 60 years. Mzee Nkuringo had lost most of his teeth and used to move slowly which were signs of old age.
A veterinary crew took some parts of Nkuringo’s body to ascertain the cause of his death. These essential parts of his body are being studied in the government laboratory in Kampala and a report will be released soon despite the fact the Nkuringo was buried last week.

His body was wrapped in a polythene bag and lowered it into the grave. He was buried in a polythene bag in order to help researchers access it easily during investigations or studies.

In a related development, a new-born gorilla was discovered as the park officials were searching for Nkuringo. This was a blessing because they are now 18 members of the Nkuringo group although Mzee died.

The sex of the baby is yet to be found out. The Nkuringo group was habituated by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in 2002 for ecotourism.

In 2006, Zeus, a gorilla of the Kyaguriro group passed away at Bwindi.

Kyaguriro gorillas are habituated for research purposes.

Two or more weeks by the poolside would be one’s idea of the vacation from hell though one might prefer something more challenging. Uganda was rated among the top ten countries with exclusive adventure.

Gorillas in the Mist- Uganda, East Africa.

Itineraries are offered by tour companies such as Abacus African Vacations, Adventure trails Limited, Primate Safaris Company, Access Safaris Limited to mention but a few. These companies provide safari itineraries which usually start by tracking chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park, the park that is known for harboring many of the chimpanzees and other species too such as monkeys and birds. The tour then proceeds you to Queen Elizabeth National Park and have a chance to see antelopes, elephants, hyenas, and baboons in their natural habitat this is mainly during the game drives and also get a chance to see tree climbing lions at the Ishasha sector still near the park incase you cross through that sector. You also have a chance to go on a launch cruise along the Kazinga Channel for a spot of hippos and bird species along the water bank. You then head to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where half of the world’s population of gorillas stay or live. You will have a chance to track these gorillas and spend time with them, see how they feed and also feel their lifestyles. This is truly an awesome and magical experience.

The countries that were rated as top ten include Sweden with its Arctic Expedition-Arctic Circle, Morocco’s desert storm in Marrakech, Raging Rapids in Peru South America, Pirate’s Life in Grenadine Islands, Caribbean, Driving Wild- London England, Hunting Ground- Tanzania, Easy Rider- Arganil, Portugal, Into the Blue- Beqa Island Fiji and Ski’n Snow- Chamonix, France.

Kenya Airways formally suspended its code sharing deal with Rwandair after the Rwandan carrier reportedly opted for an aircraft that has not passed a safety certification test, the airlines top executive said last week.

The Kenya Airways, Rwandair code share deal was suspended early last week in order for the two partners to get time to resolve what they termed as “operational safety issues.”

Kenya Airways managing director Mr. Titus Naikuni said Rwandair had taken one of its planes for routine maintenance, necessitating the company to use a third party airline.
However, the third party plane is not compliant to the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) of which KQ is a certified carrier.

The code sharing deal allowed both partners to book passengers within their networks and board them on either aircraft owned by either of them.

KQ has had a Code share contract with Rwanda Air since April 2003. The contract provides that before the airlines enter into a code share contract with a third party airline, the third party airline has either to be IOSA certified or to have passed a safety audit by Kenya Airways. However the third party airline in this instance is neither IOSA certified nor had it been audited by KQ, hence the suspension of the Code shares.

The Kenyan airline has recently been admitted as a partial member of the elite team of airlines, known as Skyteam, which comprises nine of the world’s best airlines, which dominate both European and American skies and partly spread their wings across the Asian and the Middle East skies.

“If we flout this regulation like in the case of Rwanda Air, then we run the risk of losing our code shares. In view of this, and following discussions with top Rwanda Air management, a decision was made by KQ to temporarily suspend this code share to allow for time to address these concerns,” Naikuni said.

KQ passengers on Rwandair have since been re-routed onto KQ flights. Naikuni explained that the indemnity forms were to bring to the attention of our passengers and to give them the option of making the decision whether they would want to fly with the third party airline with or without any liability on the part of KQ. He also added that the indemnification was not in any way meant to imply that the third party carrier is unsafe.

KQ, which operates daily flights to Kigali also, and to over 30 African destinations currently, operates Code shares with Air Mauritius, Precision Air, Korean Air, Mozambique Airlines, KLM and Air France.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has planned to hike it’s airfares over the next two months in order to meet the growing cost of fuel and new taxes, airlines executives announced last week.

Kenya Airways (KQ) managing director Mr. Titus Naikuni said that jet fuel had increased too much over the last 18 months, while the airline will also be affected by an increase in taxes at London’s Heathrow Airport hence pushing the cost of travel upwards.
The airline is soon going to adjust its ticket prices to enable it meet the rising cost of fuel and airport services.

Therefore the airline has to get money from somewhere and this will either be through increase in fares or fuel surcharge and the management is going to ask it’s customers to dig deep into their pockets.

The airline has set aside Ksh2.7 billion which is to be spent on fuel this current financial year.

Naikuni said that the adjustments were likely to be effected in two months, and would vary depending on the airline’s destinations.

The airline is the most profitable regional and continental carrier on the continent.

Three multibillion-hotel/lodge projects are expected to be constructed in the Serengeti National Park, Northern Tanzania and Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania upon approval by the government.

The projects, Serengeti Eco-Lodge (SEL) and Grumeti Luxury Tented Camp (GLTC) will be carried out by the Arusha based Rough Tracks Limited.

Although no official was available for comment last week, reports have it that the Grumeti Luxury Tented Camp (GLTC) is expected to be one of the most luxurious and expensive tented camps in the region and it would especially target American tourists who frequent the Serengeti National Park.

Serengeti Lodge will be situated within the Begambasage hills, Robanda village in Serengeti district, Mara region about 46 kilometres from the Seronera airstrip and about 12 kilometres from Fort Ikoma airstrip. The site is located about 5 kilometres from the Serengeti National Park boundary on the northern point of the Serengeti.

The tented camp will be situated within the Begambasage hills, located about 40 kilometres from the Seronera airstrip and is 2 kilometres from the Serengeti National Park boundary. The two projects are related and within close proximity.

Already, the investor, Rough Tracks Limited, has commissioned JSB EnviDep, which is undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to ascertain that the project does not cause adverse environmental and social impacts as required by the Tanzanian government as per the Environmental Management Act No. 20, 2004.

Incorporated as a company in 2004, the investor, Rough Tracks Limited has developed as a progressive safari company specializing in operating safaris and fleet services, and it’s among the top tour operators in Tanzania.  Meanwhile another project of a similar nature will be erected in Selous Game Reserve block Y1.

The developer is Kigoma Hilltop Hotel Limited, which has already submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (Wildlife Division) and the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) to develop Stieglers River Eco- Lodge. The project would be located on the northern/western bank of the Rufiji River in the photographic sector of the Selous Game Reserve in Block Y1.

 If approved, the project will consist of 15 chalets furnished with 24 beds. Each chalet will be fitted with toilet and shower facilities and will occupy an area of approximately 66 square meters. The project is expected to start at the end of this month, but all it will depend on government approval of their documents and the current weather that might not be conducive.

Other facilities will include a restaurant, entertainment area, two kitchens, a bar, swimming pool, four staff buildings, water supply system and storage system and storage tanks, library and laundry building.

Gorilla tourism is big business in Uganda’s tourism sector, raking in close to half a million US dollars in a single month in permit fees alone.

That is minus the other money that tourists who come to see the famous Mountain Gorillas spend within Uganda’s borders on transport, lodging, other entertainment, food etc.

In brief, gorilla tourism is a real money spinner for Uganda’s tourism sector, considering that securing a permit is not easy unless you do it way ahead of time. US$480,000 goes to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in form of permit fees. A single permit to track the Mt. Gorilla is sold at $500 and only 24 permits are usually available daily.

The business is good and it is the reason why Uganda’s tour companies are coming out to question a decision UWA has made to award management of an eco lodge to one tour operator.

Nkuringo Eco Lodge has been constructed with funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The marketing of six permits of the eight permits for tourists intending to track the Nkuringo gorilla group will be done by Uganda Safari Company. Last week, UWA explained an evident row that has been borne out of its decision to get Uganda Safari Company to manage the eco lodge and market permits to tourists who wish to visit the Nkuringo gorilla group.

In a letter sent to various media houses, Mr. Geoffrey Baluku, the manager of African Pearl Safaris, a competitor with Uganda Safari Company in the business, accused UWA of ‘privatizing’ the Nkuringo family of gorillas. But UWA denied this accusation saying it still retains the rights to sell permits and they haven’t been privatized as alleged.

The public relations officer of UWA Ms. Lillian Nsubuga explained that the people making those claims think Uganda Safari Company built and owns the lodge, they think the permits have been monopolized by one player; but the thing is when the permits are sold, the US$500 comes back to UWA.

Nsubuga further said that it is the lodging fees that will be shared between the community, which gave up four square miles of land to give the gorillas ranging space, and Uganda Safari Company.

UWA is not ‘privatizing’ the Nkuringo family of gorillas and causing a stir in the gorilla tourism but it is only paying a small price with the ultimate aim of ensuring that the 22 gorillas that make up the Nkuringo family are safe and free.

UWA is moving to ensure that communities that vacated the 4 square miles of land where the gorillas now roam undisturbed benefit from the tourism activities on the land. The 4 square miles constituted the habitat and feeding range of the gorillas.  Having moved on the fringes of the park, the communities continue to play a crucial role in foiling poaching attempts considering that gorilla meat is a delicacy across the border in the DR Congo.

The other big threat to gorilla conservation is disease especially that contracted from humans as well as habitat encroachment. And according to UWA, that is justification enough to tie six out of the eight permits allotted to the Nkuringo family of gorillas to the eco lodge.

The Nkuringo gorilla group was habituated in 2003 and it was discovered then that the gorillas’ range had been cut off by human encroachment. UWA compensated the communities and they left the land and settled elsewhere. But UWA went ahead and decided to find a way to get the communities benefit from the tourism. It was then that the idea of building an eco lodge for the benefit of the communities was conceived.

In order to make it attractive as a lodge, UWA had to peg six permits to the lodge such that all tourists with the six permits would have to spend a night at the lodge in question. Nsubuga further explained.

Today, tourists intending to track the Nkuringo family of gorillas find accommodation in Kisoro town and then travel to see the gorillas. According to UWA, if the situation remained as it is, the eco lodge would not be a viable business to benefit the communities, which gave up their land.

The communities needed a viable private partner to come in and manage and market permits on their behalf.

The partner was identified in a competitive manner following advertisements in the media calling for expressions of interest. Four companies responded to the bid invitation and out of the four, Uganda Safari Company was chosen as the best bidder.

Nsubuga noted further that all those who are wrangling and making noise did not put in a bid and why didn’t they bid if they were interested? This opportunity was open to everybody.

The money that will be generated as fees for the lodge will be used in developing infrastructure for the communities that got affected. Such infrastructure includes schools, health facilities, road signage and bridges etc.

“For us that is a small price to pay considering what the communities do, these gorillas are very precious and we are ready to do whatever it takes to ensure their safety and survival,” Nsubuga said. Work on the lodge in questioned has just been commissioned and will be ready in August.

 Through the Nkuringo Conservation and Development Foundation, the lodge will be managed and marketed by Uganda Safari Company Limited. Of the 32 gorilla families, only four have so far been habituated for tourism purposes though two other groups are likely to be open for tourism by the end of this year.

The new travel website is owned by Primates Adventure Company is a specialized proven safari company offering primate adventures in Uganda and Rwanda.
The Tours manager, Kiiza Calah said “The company aims at providing an unrivalled choice of quality escorted tour packages packed with exciting daily sightseeing highlights and features”.

It deals in a wide range of travel packages which include Gorilla safaris, Chimpanzee tracking tours, Birding safaris, Cultural safaris, wildlife adventure safaris , tours to Uganda’s ecotourism destinations: Mabira Ecotourism site, Busingiro ecotourism site, Kaniyo Pabidi and Mpanga forest ecotourism site, as well as city tours to Kampala and Jinja.

The company which has been working for 2 years has an aim of offering better travel safaris to all destinations with products for Luxury, Midrange and Budget travellers aiming at Business trips or leisure travel.

Uganda’s main attraction is the endangered mountain gorilla which is said to share 98.4% of its genes with human beings. Out of the estimated 720 mountain gorillas left in the world, 340 of them are found in the jungles of Bwindi Forest National Park which is also believed to have over 32 groups/families of gorillas.

A family of gorillas is usually made up of approximately 10 to 30 members which include one or two Silverbacks and several juveniles or black backs.

Of all the 32 groups, only four groups have so far been habituated for gorilla tracking in Uganda’s Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks. However two other groups are likely to be open for tourism by the end of this year.

Selling of gorilla permits since the early 1990s has been the solitary responsibility of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) as mandated by an act of parliament. However, recently Uganda Wildlife Authority decided to privatize one of the habituated groups, the Nkuringo family of gorillas. And decided that with effect from August, the buying of Nkuringo gorilla permits will be done through the Uganda Safari Company which is owned by Jonathan Wright.

However this decision taken by UWA to privatise the Nkuringo habituated group has met critism from different tour operators and local communities. According to Dorothy, one of the Uganda’s tour operators, the privatisation of the Nkuringo group is the biggest injustice UWA has done to both tour operators and the residents/locals of Kisoro. This kind of concession was done in bad faith. It is well known that despite gorilla permits being the backbone of our tourism industry, they are also scarce and very competitive. Thus giving the domination of their sale to an individual tour operator is a subordinate we should fight as early as possible, said Dorothy.

At the stakeholders’ meeting convened by UWA at Hotel Equatorial at the end of last year, the Executive Director of UWA was asked to throw more light on this concession. He did not have a clear answer at the time though promised that stakeholders could be called at a later date for an explanation in regard to this move.

At the meeting most Ugandan tour operators established that it’s so absurd that to this day stakeholders have not got any explanation despite the fact that a concession agreement has already been signed between UWA/NCDF and the Uganda Safari Company. There is now a new scramble for our natural resources. There fore if Ugandan tour operators do not fight such tendencies, very soon the whole of Ugandan national parks might be privatized.

Owning a lodge should not be a reason for six of the eight permits to be sold by a single individual/ tour operator. These gorillas are a national resource and should therefore not be tagged to someone because he /she has put up a lodge somewhere.

The privatisation of the Nkuringo habituated group has not only faced criticism from the local tour operators but also different hotels and safari lodges owners have come up to oppose it. Many of the Ugandans have invested in the park and its outskirts. For example Kitandara Tented Camp, Buhoma Community Banda’s and African Pearl Safaris which own lodges in Bwindi currently run as Buhoma Lodge though under the management of G & C. For the last years, non of these investors has ever requested to have or own a family of gorillas. This type of special consideration, though it may have its positive side to UWA, may lead to other investors such as Mr. Amos Wekesa of the famous Primates Lodge Kibale to also request to have control over the sale of chimp permits since he owns a lodge in the Kibale forest national park.

It’s not being against some investors putting up competitive/ luxury / high end lodges. It is in fact a positive thing but they should not dictate over the tourism industry by giving terms such as requesting to monopolize the selling of permits and denying other potential investors from constructing lodges within particular areas.

A competitor in the tour industry can never be fair in selling these permits. The implication of this move is that other stakeholders in Kisoro town; such as Internet cafés, restaurants/hotels and craft sellers among others, will lose business.

This may endanger the gorillas in a way that the locals will not see any benefit in protecting them hence develop a hostile attitude to both the tourists and the gorillas. The industry also stands to lose as a result of this move. Putting into consideration that the tourism industry receives both high end and budget travellers. The budget travellers will stay at Nkuringo Eco Lodge with the high prices that they are due to charge.

The rates have also changed, they will be charging 450 dollars per person per night with a further condition that a minimum of two nights have to be booked. Meaning that a single client will spend 900 dollars on accommodation and an extra 500 dollars on the permit. This however, does not include transport, administrative costs and government tax. This is a thorn to Uganda’s tourism industry since budget clients should be given an opportunity to choose between the high end and budget tour.

This move has already forced tour operators to go in for Rwanda gorilla permits. I do not understand why the planners at UWA / Ministry of Tourism in Uganda do not foresee that such a move will kill gorilla tourism in Uganda as tour operators will have opted to cross the border hence promoting Rwanda tourism over their own.

Tour operators should have a say in how they/ locals of Kisoro/ Kanungu and the surrounding areas can benefit from them!

Kenya’s tourism sector has found new efforts for its marketing campaigns for the Chinese and Eastern markets to butter up the western markets for tourism.

This follows a noteworthy increase in the number of Chinese tourists interested in visiting Kenya regardless of the country being one of the youngest in the tourism industry.

Tourism permanent secretary Ms. Rebecca Nabutola reportedly said in Nairobi that the Kenyan government would increase its marketing fund to China from the current Ksh150 million in efforts widely open up the market.

“Kenya Tourism Board’s decision to branch out markets and to recognize the potential of China through investment is definitely paying dividend. We expect to continue to invest more in the Chinese market in the coming year,” said Nabutola.

By now, a marketing delegation from the ministry will soon leave for China to attend the World Travel fair in Shanghai and also hold meetings with travel trade and media representatives in the country.

Kenya’s marketing efforts include the setting up of a satellite office in Beijing and Shanghai; direct flights of Kenya airways from Nairobi to Guangzhou have increased diplomatic ties and translation of tourism literature from English into Chinese.

In 2007, the total number of tourist arriving in Kenya from China stood at 18,766 representing a growth of 27% compared to 14,778 arrivals in 2006. The period also saw the months of July and October transpire as the highest in numbers with an increase of 71 % and 78.4 % respectively.

Presently, no travel advisories have been given by the Chinese government despite the post elections skirmishes that rocked the country in the first two months of the year that saw other key source markets like Britain and America advice their citizens against visiting the country.

The board is however optimistic that once the situation in the country fully returns to normal and the negative travel advisories are lifted, the tourist arrivals for 2008 will continue on an upward trend.

Statistics for January when the skirmishes were on the highest show that tourist arrivals from China declined by 12.7%.

However, the ministry of tourism in Kenya is optimistic that going by the indications from the market development representative and tour operators, February which is the Chinese New Year recorded much improvement.

If people are honest, they will admit that the first thing that comes to mind when they talk about tourism, is animals. Tourism however goes beyond the flora and fauna to larger aspects of life and society.

It includes Cultural, Archeological, Agritourism, Sports, Sex tourism among others. Medical tourism or, Health Tourism, as it’s some times called, is a burgeoning industry that, thanks to increased rates of health insurance is fast becoming a popular venture.

In East Africa medical tourism is a new idea with a potential to blossom thanks to nature’s endowments. However, with the introduction of gymnasiums, spas and generally improving hospital facilities, health tourism is growing by leaps and bounds. In Kenya, tourists visit the famous Chale Island where people’s bodies are covered with a special kind of mud believed to be medicinal.

In Uganda, the main attraction has been hot springs like Ihimba hot springs found on Kabale-Katuna road, 8 km out of Kabale, Sempaya Hot Springs found in Bundibugyo in the western part of Uganda, Kitagata hot springs, Nyamasizi hot springs, and Buranga hot springs.

Hot springs are said to have high mineral content, containing everything from simple calcium to lithium, and even radium and hot springs have become a popular tourist destinations, and locations for rehabilitation clinics for those with disabilities.

Herbal medicine has also become a lucrative option to most patients especially those who have lost hope in ‘modern’ medicine. Kenyan forests like Kakamega have a granary of herbal medicinal leaves, backs and roots to resource from.

In Uganda, there is the Mabira forest, which duplicates the Kenyan Kakamega forest and Mount Kilimanjaro forest in Tanzania. Plants like Aloe Vera, which grow in most East African countries, have attracted international attention.

An increase in medical tourists can be accorded to high medical bills in ones country of origin even with the cost of the plane ticket, lodgings are added in, and treatment in a foreign country can still be significantly cheaper than back home.

Take an example of a bone-marrow transplant in America which costs $2.5 million. Doctors in India do the operation for $26,000. Heart-bypass surgery costs $60,000 to $150,000 in USA while in Asia; the average cost is $10,000. In some places, the cost can be as little as a tenth of what it would cost to have the same treatment in your home country.

A patient is saved from the un necessary waiting at home yet doctors abroad are more than willing to operate or in the cases of natural cures like hot springs, the place is always open and ready to receive. Most surgeries whether major or cosmetic can be scheduled within a few days or weeks if done in a less overburdened foreign hospital.

Surprisingly, the benefit one gets for traveling abroad for medical reasons is that you may be able to get better and more personal care at a foreign hospital than you would at home. Many hospitals specialize in medical tourism, and in order to draw in customers they provide exceptional quality and service

Medical tourism isn’t just about getting more reasonably priced medical care; it’s also a great way to spend your recovery in a relaxing and beautiful environment, free from the ringing phone and responsibilities that could plague your recovery at home. You will have the opportunity to spend your recuperation time under an umbrella on the beach or shopping in luxury boutiques.

Medical tourism isn’t a perfect solution to combating rising medical costs but for many it can be a much more rewarding experience than dealing with medical facilities at home. Not to mention it has the added benefit of a vacation afterwards.

Depending on the patient’s situation, the benefits of seeking treatment away from your home country actually outweigh the risks, and medical tourism can be an incredibly rewarding way to get your medical care.

Rwanda once again emerged the best African exhibitor in the just accomplished annually world’s biggest tourism fair held in Berlin, Germany. The tourism fair which was held for five days from March 5th to March 9th , attracted over 11,000 exhibitors from 186 countries, among them 36 African countries and over 180,000 visitors.

Rwanda’s victory story for the second time was announced on Saturday 8th , after beating other nine African exhibitors that included in the order of ranking, Tunisia, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Egypt, Tanzania and Eritrea

Rwandan delegation to the world’s tourism biggest fair included the director general of Rwanda office of Tourism and National parks (ORTPN) Ms. Rosette Rugamba, the agency’s marketing manager Mr. Patrick Manzi, a woman traditional basket weaver and tour operators to mention but a few.

Rwanda proved to the world that it is among the best tourism destination countries in Africa by getting the second trophy. Rwanda’s superior position is attributed to the country’s traditionally woven baskets ‘Agaseke’, live cultural performances and traditional dress as well as the stand design which attracted a big chunk of visitors.

Rwanda’s base at Berlin was visited by 12 ministers from around the world. Among the 82 other visitors to the fair was the former Kenyan vice president Mr. Moody Awori. Kenya, which has been over the last two months torn by political impasse after presidential elections which led to ups and downs in its economic status including the tourism sector, is trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild confidence in tourists.

More than four Kenyan ministers and members of the parliament including Awoori attended the Berlin fair to convince the world that Kenya is back to normal.

The Rwandan delegation carried with them a stock of 16,000 traditionally woven baskets and supplied them freely accompanied by Rwanda tea and coffee.

The host country Germany invites countries from all over the world and also provides the framework for making public relations for them. Germany is the third biggest tourist source for Rwanda after the US and UK respectively. The Rwanda stand was partly marketed by Rwandans based in Belgium who entertained visitors in traditional dances.

Tourism is all about exhibiting your country in such a worldwide fair. Our stand was the smallest among others with originality because visitors felt they were visiting Rwanda. The fair is expected to widen many opportunities for the Rwandan private tour operators.

Tourism which was Rwanda’s second foreign currency earner after minerals with US$42.3 revenues from 39,000 tourists last year, seeks to register $68m from 50,000 visitors this year. According to the sector targets, tourism should be able to generate $100million from 70,000 visitors staying at least a minimum of seven hours in the country in 2010.

In 2007, tourism sector received investment estimated at US$78 million and the largest Foreign Direct Investment from Dubai World at $230m. Local private investment in tourism and hospitality facilities was estimated at 57% increase compared to 2006. New infrastructure like hotels and Kigali convention center are all expected to boost the sector.

Rwanda has introduced new products like night tours, game drives, bird watching and many other activities like gorilla tracking, gorilla naming ceremony branded locally as Kwita Izina. Rwanda boasts of two thirds of the 700 mountain gorillas in its natural habitat.

The addition of Boeing 787 Dream liner to the Ethiopian airline navy has been postponed by the manufacturers who have repeatedly delayed its arrival.
Ms Regassa Ermajachew, Ethiopian Airlines Uganda area manager says the airline will arrive in 2009, a year later than estimated.
Upon completion, the 787-8 Dream liner carries 210 - 250 passengers on routes of 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles (14,200 to 15,200 kilometers), while the 787-9 Dream liner carries 250 - 290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,750 kilometers). A third 787 family members (787-3 Dream liner) will accommodate 290 - 330 passengers and be optimized for routes of 2,500 to 3,050 nautical miles (4,600 to 5,650 kilometers).

In addition to bringing big-jet ranges to mid-size airplanes, the 787 will provide airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airliner will use 20 percent less fuel for comparable missions than today’s similarly sized airliners. It will also travel at speeds similar to today’s fastest wide bodies; the airlines will enjoy more cargo revenue capacity.
Passengers who will travel using Ethiopian airways will see improvements with the new airplane, from an inside environment with higher humidity to increased comfort and convenience. Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has purchased a B737 next generation flight simulator.

A flight simulator is a system which tries to imitate the experience of flying an aircraft as closely and accurately as possible. The different types of flight simulator range from video games to full-size cockpit replicas. Flight simulators are extensively used by the aviation industry for design and development and for the training of pilots and other flight deck crew in both civil and military.

Brussels Airlines has a reason to pop the champagne bottle after carrying its fifth millionth customer last month in less than a year after taking to the skies as a new brand.
The Belgian carrier took to the skies on Sunday, March 25 last year following the merger of SN Brussels and Virgin Express on November 7, 2006.

This airline having ‘Flying your Way’ as its slogan, operates a fleet of about 50 aircraft connecting its home base at Brussels Airport with over 50 European destinations and operates direct services to Africa.
Nearer home, it operates 14 flights into East Africa. Broken down, it has five flights a week from Brussels into Nairobi- Kenya, four to Entebbe- Uganda, and three to Kigali-Rwanda and two to Bujumbura-Burundi.

Being a true East African representation, the airline has sales-presence in Tanzania through partnership with Precision Air.
The fifth millionth passenger, Mr. Carl Verbrugge is a frequent flier on the airline’s Brussels-Geneva route.

Kenya’s tourism industry continues to lose millions of shillings every day as a result of few park visitation occasioned by the post poll conflict. The situation has not been helped because of the negative perception by tourists over the security while in the country. The Kenyan national parks daily revenue collection reduced by over 90 percent from Ksh1.6 million (US$22,857) daily to a staggering Ksh100, 000 ($1,428) per day.

The number of tourists visiting the park also reduced by the same margin. Before the outrageous December polls, they were 650 daily, but the number has dropped to 100 visitors a day. And as a result, the industry risks losing its first quarter earnings expectation of Ksh21billion ($300 million).
The agency that markets Kenya as a tourist spot has lowered its first quarter target to Ksh8.4 billion (($120 million) down from Ksh21 billion ($300 million) as expected of the industry after a massive rebranding last year. The sector recorded Ksh17.5 million ($ 250000) in its first quarter, last year.

Nakuru is one of the hardest hit cities by violence and therefore it will take time before things get back to normal.The park is also said to have experienced a drastic fall in earnings and visitors, estimated to over 90%, owing to post election violence. Most hotels around the park have closed their gates.
The aftermath of the December 27 polls has dealt a heavy blow on tourism across Kenya as cancellation of booking and mass evacuation became the order of the day.

Kenya Tourist Board has said it needs some Ksh1.5 billion ($2, 142, 8571) to put the country back on the global tourism map. The fund will carry out the Herculean task of rebuilding the country’s image through targeted public relations campaigns, advertising and familiarization trips. Kenya Tourist Board said that if the political impasse is solved within the first quarter of the year and the government maintains the current level of spending on marketing the country as a tourist destination full recovery is possible in 2009.

Tourism is the number one Kenya foreign earner, last year the sector recorded over Ksh65 billion ($928.5 million) in foreign exchange earning.

A broad carpet of algae has covered Uganda’s largest lake - Lake Victoria’s Murchison Bay and has caused a bad stench in Luzira, Ggaba and Munyonyo making the major fishing zones not viable. The algae mass, which looks like green paint on the lake surface, is a result of augmented pollution from human disposal and industrial waste. The waste flows into Lake Victoria through the Nakivubo Channel, which was constructed to stop the lower areas of Kampala from flooding.

When solving one problem, another was created. The pollution of the lake has been aggravated by encroachment on the Nakivubo wetland, which is a natural filter.

In result, the cost of treating water at the Ggaba water station has tripled in the past decade. The National Water and Sewerage Corporation had to adopt cost-cutting measures, including laying off some of its staff, to avoid the water bills from going up. But the parastatal might run out of options and be forced to transfer the cost to the consumer.

The Ugandan Parliament approved a new tourism law, which is seen by the tourism industry observers as an important breakthrough following years of waiting for the to be passed.
The new law is hoped to overhaul the country’s tourism industry and promote the tourism sector’s security and standards among others. The Uganda Tourism Bill 2007 was passed by an undivided vote by Parliament on Tuesday February 19 after a short debate.

The state minister for tourism Mr. Sarapio Rukundo told the Parliament that when the law comes into power, it will help reform, consolidate and streamline the laws related to tourism and provide for licensing, regulating and control of the sector.

The new tourism act brought together three laws in a major reform aimed at boosting and developing the tourism industry in the country, says the minister. The previous laws amalgamated into the new Act include the hotels laws, the tourists’ agents licensing law, and the Uganda tourism board.These laws are geared towards improving the country’s hotel sector, tour operation businesses as well as the tourism industry itself which is gaining prominence from gorilla tourism.

According to the Parliament committee on tourism, trade and industry chairman, Mr. Pereza Ahabwe the major reforms in the new law includes the introduction of a tourism development tax and tourism development fund. He said the tax would be obligatory on both the visitors making trips to Uganda and operators while the development fund will be established by the ministry and other sources yet to be identified by the ministry of tourism to further develop the sector.
These two are going to boost the sector in form of promoting it, gazetting areas for tourism sites and undertake educational programmes. Ways of monitoring tourism standards, registration, licensing and classifying of tourist facilities and services in Uganda’s national parks as well as major tourism destinations, among others have all been streamlined in the new law.
The commissioner for tourism Ms. Grace Mbabazi Aulo said that the money got from the tourism development tax would be used for training, research and tourism promotion. She said that government is yet to make a master plan on how these funds would be well utilized in revamping the tourism industry.

The new law makes it an offence to operate an accommodation facility for tourists without a license. The major introduction in the law is because some unscrupulous agents were taking tourists to low standard indecent guest houses causing embarrassment to the country.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in Uganda has described the country’s latest competitor into air travel as a very promising operator.

Air Uganda started its operations out of Entebbe International Airport as its base in November last year but the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) funded the airline and has already transported some 10,000 passengers.

Air Uganda is a very promising operator. It is potentially and increasingly taking shape in the Uganda tourism industry. In the past, the three airlines that operated out of Entebbe International Airport as their base have not lived up to people’s expectation. The latest of the three was Victoria International Airlines, which run out of steam a month after it launched operations. But our hope with Air Uganda was hinged on the assessment.

The airline is set to launch its website this month, a development that will allow clients do online bookings. A frequent flyer plan will also be in place by the end of February. All these developments are expected to boost Uganda’s tourism industry as well as the number of safaris taken by inbound tourists.

Air Uganda operates two daily flights to Nairobi, three flights a week to Dar es Salaam through Kilimanjaro and four flights a week to Juba in southern Sudan.

The coming of Air Uganda is welcome to the travel industry and has been long overdue according to aviation experts. Since the collapse of Uganda Airlines in the early 1990s, Uganda has not had ‘a home-based airline’ and that has impacted the economy in so many ways.

The Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) introduced new arrival and departure forms to improve its tourism statistics.

The project which was financed by the World Bank under its Competitive and Enterprise Development Project (CEDP) in Rwanda is being executed by a team of consultants led by Grontmil-Carl Bro of Denmark since June last year.

The information from ORTPN has confirmed full operational exercise of the new arrival and departure forms at Kigali International Airport and land borders since January 1, with an updated version of immigration data capture software.

Up-to-date analysis software has been introduced to improve the presentation and distribution on regular basis to tourism industry operators and planners.

It is however not only essential to know how many tourists visit Rwanda every month and every year, but also to know where they come from and why they decide to visit this country, the different gorilla safaris and wildlife tours they undertake etc. For the past decade, Rwanda’s tourism industry has experienced a growing number of tourists undertaking gorilla safaris and wildlife tours in Rwanda’s national parks. Despite of this, important planning information has not been readily available in Rwanda and there is an urgent need to ensure that such information is collected and made available to tourism industry operators and planners.

These new forms have been developed by the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGI) and ORTPN in conjunction with other members of the Inter-Institutional Tourism Statistics Working Group including the ministry of commerce, the ministry of finance and economic planning, the national institute of statistics, central bank of Rwanda (BNR) and the Chamber of Tourism at the private sector federation (PSF) and other stakeholders.

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) officials, the Police and the army recovered four guns from encroachers on Mt. Elgon National Park and a total of 75 Frisian cattle which are suspected to have been stolen from Kenya were also recovered in the grassland zone above the forest line.

After these incidents, UWA found it wise to address the issue of encroachment in the park, which in any case is illegal since the boundaries of the park were redefined in 2002.

Due to the extensive encroachment, criminals took an advantage to hide in the forest and steal the livestock. The operation to get rid of criminals and encroachers is being undertaken humanely. So far, there has been cooperation of the local community, who have agreed to leave voluntarily.

Reports indicate that the local community is fed up with misleading actions and advice from some of their leaders. They have chosen to work with UWA to throw out encroachment in major protected areas such as uganda’s national parks and game reserves.

The wildlife governing body in Uganda, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has issued a license to a wildlife dealer to export three hundred Vervet monkeys to Russia. This agreement reached over the last weekend by UWA and Yekoyada Nuwagaba, the proprietor of Navina Export is permitting Navina Export to export these monkeys which have turned out to be a menace to the local communities in Uganda given their high numbers.

According to Sam Mwandha, the Acting Executive Director of UWA, the proposal to export vervet monkeys to Russia has been approved to save communities where vervet monkeys have become a menace and at the same time as another alternative to reap revenue from wildlife.

In Uganda vervet monkeys and olive baboons, Uganda’s hot tourist attractions, have been considered vermin following their large populations and tendency to destroy crops. This has led to the Authoritative Body registering persistent complaints from the local communities and thus there was need to address this issue so that sustainable conservation of wildlife can be attained. The agreed upon monkeys to be exported include those in Kampala City and its suburbs such as Muyenga, Bugolobi, Mulago, Entebbe and Ntinda.

Apart from these areas vermin cases have been registered in many other areas in Uganda including national parks such as Lake Mburo national park, Kibale Forest national park and Queen Elizabeth national park.

In Uganda, primates form a major tourist attraction to tourists spending their holiday and vacations in the country. These primates include mountain gorillas, the sole backbone of Uganda’s tourism industry, chimpanzees, and about 10 other species of primate species. Apart from primates, other features that make Uganda a superb destination include shimmering lakes and rivers, amazing cultural heritage reigning in 50 plus indigenous tribes, kingdoms and chiefdoms as well as increasing wild fauna species including the big five.

Uganda has gone another step towards improving the attractiveness in terms of tourism. Following the re-introduction of white rhinos in Uganda, Hartebeests and Waterbucks will once be introduced in Uganda’s protected areas. After 45 years since their disappearance, hartebeests and waterbucks will be introduced to the savannah plains of Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve found in Albertine Rift Valley escarpment in Western Uganda.

The introduction of hartebeests and waterbucks is to be made possible by an ongoing conservation project supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in conjunction with Lake Albert Safaris and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). With this plan set to start on December 2nd, 2007 20 Jackson’s Hartebeests and 20 Waterbucks will be relocated from Murchison Falls National Park to Kabwoya Wildlife reserve.

USAID through its PRIME/West project seeks to reduce threats to biodiversity in the endangered Albertine Rift eco – region which is one of the most scenic tourist area in Uganda. It also established that the effort will improve the management of 100,000 hectares of biological significance and also implement various conservation-related policies including training over 400 people in conservation.

The introduction of the hartebeests and waterbucks as well as additional species that include white rhino, giant forest hog, Zebra, Giraffe and Cheetah is expected to boost tourism development in Uganda given that the holiday makers will in the country will have more destinations to visit during their safari. Uganda today boosts of 10 national parks including Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Mgahinga National park, home to the rare mountain gorillas. It added that through this agreement,

Kabwoya wildlife reserve covering an area of 200 sq kilometres between the Albertine Rift escarpment, Tooro-Semiliki Wildlife Reserve in the south and Murchison Falls National Park in the north. The area is one of the most significant tourism destinations with its location in the Rift being convenient to safari makers visiting Murchison Falls National park, Bugoma forest as well as Kibale forest national park.

The recently concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) has done a lot for the tourism industry of Uganda. This meeting has realised increased number of tourist arrivals to Uganda which has boosted the hospitality industry as well as the tours and travel industry.

According to the different hotel proprietors contacted by Uganda Travel Guide Reporters after the meeting, many indigenous hotels concluded that they had reaped big from this international meeting. This is the same with many tour operators in Uganda who realised an increased number of sales of tours and travelpackages during the time of the meeting.

When contacted for a meeting, Mr Begumisa Franklin of Abacus African Vacations joyfully said that, CHOGM was a blessing to Uganda as a nation given the different opportunities for marketing that the meeting brought to the nation. He added on that the different facilities that the country has realised forexample a new airport terminal, renovated roads, new hotels and communication facilities are some of the different tourism assets that the country has gained from CHOGM.

He concluded that the meeting offset another peak season for Uganda’ s tourism industry which is renowned for its rare mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Park and Mgahinga Gorilla Park as well as its wildlife teeming in its national parks.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall yesterday made a memorial visit to Uganda’s source of the Nile. Prince Charles and his wife arrived in Jinja just before 3:00pm in a convoy of about 15 vehicles.

Accompanied by tight security officials from both British and Ugandan forces Prince Charles, the future heir to the throne and his wife admired the Nile waters and later took on a boat ride to a spot where the river flows out of Lake Victoria to begin its long journey through Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. From Jinja, the water of the World’s second longest river takes three months to reach the sea.

The royal party was later received at Speke Gardens on the western side of the Nile by the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Ham Muliira. At the other side, they where received by Jinja District Chairman Baswale Kezaala and members of the local district administration, and entertained to local cultural music and dance.

The prince also unveiled a plaque to commemorate his brief expedition across River Nile before making his return trip to Kampala. The Queen’s visit and Prince Charles’ visit to Uganda during the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit is anticipated to bring immense benefits to the tourism industry in Uganda.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall yesterday made a memorial visit to Uganda’s source of the Nile. Prince Charles and his wife arrived in Jinja just before 3:00pm in a convoy of about 15 vehicles.

Accompanied by tight security officials from both British and Ugandan forces Prince Charles, the future heir to the throne and his wife admired the Nile waters and later took on a boat ride to a spot where the river flows out of Lake Victoria to begin its long journey through Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. From Jinja, the water of the World’s second longest river takes three months to reach the sea.

The royal party was later received at Speke Gardens on the western side of the Nile by the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Ham Muliira. At the other side, they where received by Jinja District Chairman Baswale Kezaala and members of the local district administration, and entertained to local cultural music and dance.

The prince also unveiled a plaque to commemorate his brief expedition across River Nile before making his return trip to Kampala.

The Queen’s visit and Prince Charles’ visit to Uganda during the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit is anticipated to bring immense benefits to the tourism industry in Uganda.

A new airline, Air Uganda is set to start its operations to different destinations with in East Africa. Basing on Entebbe International Airport as its base Air Uganda, is to start operations on November 15 taking on different flights were to Nairobi (Kenya), Kilimanjaro International Airport and Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam (in Tanzania).

Following the collapse of the Uganda airlines and failure of several attempts to restore the glory of Uganda with a national carrier, Air Uganda has vowed to remain in the competitive aviation market given the different techniques and approaches that have been put in place. Air Uganda has also become the third national air carrier in sub- Saharan Africa to be set up through the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) and Meridiana Eurofly of Italy. AKFED is the main shareholder.

Air Uganda is also part of Celestair Group that comprises other airlines like Air Mali and Air Burkina in West Africa. Though the airline is 100% private, many Ugandans have hailed the airline in advance given that it is expected to boost the tourism industry through widening its market as well as in restoring the country’s past glory that faded with the loss of Uganda airlines as a national carrier.

According to Pietro Niedda, the airline’s chief executive officer, several continental airlines are also interested in offering Air Uganda connecting flights to the United States, Europe and the Far East. This is expected to expand Uganda’s market for its tourism products which include the rare and endangered mountain gorillas, shimmering lakes, interesting scenery and eye-catching wildlife in its national parks.

According to Naikuni, the spokesman of Kenya Airways, he said that “the high aviation competition we are currently witnessing and which is likely to increase next year, calls for urgent measures. Of much concern is the shortage in the number of pilots, which we are currently addressing as well as other critical issues that we are not taking for granted”.

He went ahead and said that the company has developed a strategic plan that would cost $1 billion aimed at realizing the expansion and modernization of facilities of Kenya airways to cope with the competition and return to profitability.

In a campaign to make the airline stronger, the company also announced plans to increase efficiency in customer service and schedule integrity by adopting the Lufthansa model of control. A total of Sh22million has been set aside for the project which would see improved travel services in the East African region.

In addition, plans for the adoption of the e-ticketing system are in advanced gear and will be up and running by May next year. E-ticketing is expected to enhance travel to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania since it’s capable of reducing long lines at check-in and check-out desks at different airports thus making airport procedures more faster and simpler.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Uganda’s aviation industry authoritative body has fully re-opened its multi-million dollar face-lift terminal at Entebbe International airport ahead of the Common Wealth Heads of Government meeting summit due to sit in Kampala next month.    

The historical old airport crashed during the Israeli’s attack on Idi Amin’s government through the  operation ‘Thunder bolt’ in the 1970s, has now been fully reconstructed and improved into a modern domestic passenger terminal which is to handle domestic travelers who travel using air transport in and out of the country. This airport which has for long been serving as a United Nations-aero base, its renovation and conversion into a modern domestic passenger terminal by CAA is aimed at separating domestic travelers from international ones in line with international airport requirements.

On its completion on October 30, it will first be used as a Very Very Important Persons (VVIP) terminal to handle the 53 heads of state coming to Kampala this November for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting summit. The VVIP (domestic) terminal sits 200 metres from the main airport, and has a 60,000 square metre aircraft parking apron, strong security features, and private self-contained resting lounges. The apron also has the capacity to park sixty aircrafts weighing 40 metric tonnes each.

According to Mr. Ambrose Akandonda, CAA’s managing director; there are plans in the future to upgrade this airport in case there is need for more weight capacity. He also added that at the moment, there are increasing international travelers given the increasing tourist flows to the country seeking adventure and other tourism related activities such as gorilla tracking and those taking on safaris in Uganda’s prestigious national parks. Therefore the separation of the airport terminals is expected to improve on travel to Uganda by quickening the airport procedures tourists pass through while checking in and out of the country.

Apart from the revamped airport, there area also other US$40 million (Ush70 billion) rehabilitated projects which are expected to be commissioned next week. The major rehabilitation projects include among others expansion of the Entebbe International Airport Arrivals Hall, installation of Passenger Boarding Bridges, renovation and refurbishment of the Departure Concourse, construction of a VVIP/Domestic Passenger Terminal, construction of an Aircraft Parking Apron and supply and installation of an Air Traffic and Air Space Management Radar.

The said projects together with the installation of a new radar and air traffic system worthy $ 9 million were part of a 20-year Civil Aviation National Master Plan aimed at making Entebbe International Airport the major hub for Central, Southern and Eastern Africa airlines, The substantial investments aimed at fostering business in the aviation industry and making Uganda the major tourist destination in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa.

By Michael Makonzi
Uganda Travel Guide Reporter,
Kampala.

With a few weeks to the Common Wealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), over 75% of the installation of the closed-circuit television (CCTVs) in Uganda’s Capital city, Kampala has been completed. The installation of the surveillance cameras is part of the security plan which is aimed at improving the Country’s safety and Security conditions in the major Safari hub of Kampala.

The installation of these surveillance cameras has been already completed at Entebbe Airport which Uganda’s main international tourist entry point, Entebbe town, some parts of Kampala and the Speke Resort Munyonyo, the main venue for the summit. The installation is aimed at reducing the crime rate in Uganda’s most hospitable tourist destination-Kampala.

By Our Correspondent
Uganda Travel Guide Reporter
Kigali, Rwanda
Rwanda’s tourism industry has just received a multi-million dollar boost it has been looking for in a long time.

The United Arab Emirates one of the transporters in the country and the government of Rwanda last week signed an agreement under which the former will develop eight tourism facilities in the country worth $230m.The areas of investments include hotels, a golf course, a high-end eco-lodge and rehabilitation of the famous Akagera Game lodge found in the famous Akagera national park.

Dubai World, the Emirates holdings company said in a statement last week that it would invest the money to support the projects. The company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mr. Karega Vicent, the Rwandan state minister in charge of investment promotion and industry. The minister had led a team of Rwanda officials to the region.

Tourism is one of the fast developing sectors in the country. Figures from the Rwanda National Tourism Bureau (ORTPN) indicate that up to 40,000 visitors have come into the country this year alone, bringing in $42 million in receipts. Last year - some 31,000 visitors came brought in receipts amounting to $35.9million. Therefore tourism is worthy a sector to be invested in.

According to Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai World, said at the ceremony, he announced that this event marks the first stage of a strategic partnership between Dubai World and the Government of Rwanda. “We have a strong understanding and affinity with our new partners, and look forward to building a long-term relationship that will see Dubai World play an active role in the master-planning of the country” said the Chairman.

The investment package will be directed to different areas which include the famous Akagera National Park, a home to the big five namely; lions, elephants, rhinoes, buffaloes and giraffes. Located in the North East of Rwanda, the park covers 1,080 square kilometres of undulating plains and wildlife and its worthy to visit for an African safari.

The investment package will also see the redevelopment of the Gorilla Nest Lodge in Volcanoes National Park in the Northern Province where about 300 gorillas from the approximately 700 still remaining world-wide can be tracked. UAE also said that it would develop an environmentally sensitive luxury tent camp offering a five-star service and bringing the gorillas’ trekkers closer to the home of the animals.

Dubai World will further build a new upscale 150-room hotel in Kigali on the Kigali Golf Course; redevelop the 18-hole golf course and the golf and country club, as well as building townhouses and villas.

The company will further initiate a Golf Foundation, through which a percentage of golf course revenues will be allocated to the promotion of the game for local residents, especially the young, through a golf academy and other initiatives. The Eco-Lodge whose foundation stone was laid a week ago is also part of the deal. The 25-unit complex in the Nyungwe forest to be built in South Western Rwanda is estimated at Rwandan francs 3.99 billion (about $7.2 million).

The Eco-Lodge will be adjacent to a tea plantation in the magnificent Nyungwe Forest National Park, which protects the largest single tract of mountain forest remaining in this region. According to conservationists, Engineer Rihal Sandeep - the co friendly structure will involve building prototype form of ‘nests suspended in trees’ and will have awesome views of the forest and tea fields. According to the Rwandan Government, the lodge will be operational by May next year.

The complex will have a presidential suite, Luxury villas, forest and tea villas, tree houses, nature center library and view tower. Building a reception, kitchen, dining and fitness center, in addition to quarters for staff and drivers are also included in the package.

Construction on all the developments will commence in late 2007 and the company will open an office in Kigali to manage the existing trading operations - paving the way for increased tourist arrivals who seek quality service and high end experience. The assets will be developed and managed by Istithmar Real Estate - Dubai World’s investment arm. Rwanda has also invited investors, among them Qatari commercial banks and Qatar Airways to operate direct flights to Kigali.

Mr. Karega said if Qatar provides support his country in form of heavy infrastructure like airports and exploitation of energy potential, then Rwanda will reciprocate with supplies of food items including organic foods, coffee, tea, meats and diary products as well as semi-finished products like essential oils.

A new travel package that will ease the mathematics associated with travel was last Thursday launched onto the Uganda market.

The CMF safari plan, the first of its kind in the country, allows for local and international prospective travelers to pay 40% of their total holiday cost and then secure the 60% in form of a loan from the CMF payable over a period of one year.

With the new holiday concept arrangement now liberalized, this means that the individuals will be able to go on holiday to their dream destination with financial ease and spend quality time with loved ones.

The package is also expected to lift domestic tourism, as larger volumes of people will be able to do more internal travel to attractions like the national parks, Mweya Safari, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, Source of the Nile, Bwindi impenetrable forest and the Sipi Falls among others. To the domestic travelers the product therefore encourages weekend vacations that can be taken by Monday-to-Friday workers.

The holiday financing will attract an interest rate of 2. 9% per month against the declining balance. The facility will initially only be available at the CMF parliament avenue branch will later spread to the companies other branches as the demand grows.