The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) is turning its attention on promoting domestic and marine tourism. The move aims at protecting the industry against international tourism fluctuations caused by economic and other shocks.

Speaking at the World Tourism Day media conference in Kampala on Wednesday, Mr Cuthbert Baguma, the executive director of UTB, said domestic and marine tourism has great potential that should be tapped.

He said: “We have to promote domestic tourism because it’s sustainable and can combat the negative publicity that affects the industry.” Domestic tourism aims to engage the local community in visiting the various tourism sites to appreciate the diverse sceneries and other tourism sites.

This year’s tourism day organised under the international theme “Tourism and Biodiversity” according to Mr Baguma aims to foster awareness among the local community of the social, cultural, political and economic importance of tourism.

Unique water bodies

Mr Baguma said: “The theme is timely because Uganda is looking at growing domestic and marine tourism. The country has unique water bodies that have not been maximumly harnessed.”

For years, Uganda’s tourism has basically been focused on wildlife especially on the promotion of gorillas and hippos, elephants and zebras among others.
The sector is seen as one with the most promising growth prospects and contributes about 8 per cent of Uganda’s GDP.

In 2008, it contributed Shs1.3 trillion to Uganda’s budget. Despite the July 11 bomb blasts in Kampala, Mr Baguma said there has been no cancellation of bookings so far.

He, however, added they have been overwhelmed by questions regarding their safety.
He said: “Media has done a wonderful job to re-assure tourists about the safety of the country despite the blasts, which is encouraging.”

According to Mr Baguma the sector’s performance for the first half of 2010 is more encouraging compared to last year’s since most economies were recovering from the global economic down turn.

The three-day event scheduled for between September 25 and 27 in Jinja will be marked by a series of activities to inform and remind the world of the existence and beauty of the source of the longest river in Africa- River Nile.

Ms Rosemary Kobutagi, the Ag commissioner Tourism, said: “The choice of Jinja as the venue for the event is not a mistake. It’s historically the source of the Nile and has always been a major tourist attraction.”

She said: “It’s also part of the ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry’s policy on promoting domestic tourism in general and marine tourism in particular.”

The celebrations will also coincide with the Tourism Awards for Journalism 2010 as an appreciation for the contribution of the media industry to development of tourism and conservation in Uganda.

The government wants more Ugandans to visit the country’s tourist attractions like the mountain gorillas.