A group of Ugandan MPs visiting Tanzania in the famous Karibu-Kili Fair tourism expo have urged East African Community (EAC) partner states to collectively promote and market the Community as a single tourist destination.
Headed by Richard Muhumuza Gafabusa, an MP for Bwamba County, the lawmakers said it was important for the partner states to harmonize their national laws on tourism and related sectors, a move he said will attract more tourists collectively to the region.
“It is very important to market EAC as a single tourist destination as the sector boasts of huge potential in natural resources,” observed the lawmaker.
Despite the difference in resources, flora and fauna, the legislator insisted it was still possible to have EAC as a single tourism destination with the presence of the EAC being an added advantage.
According to the MP, the EAC is a home to common ecosystems, albeit the differences in resources and interests. Mr Gabafusa singled out Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Uganda’s Rwenzori as some of the pull factors in realizing the grand vision.
“There is a need of fast-tracking the ratification of the Protocol on Tourism and Wildlife Management and for the EAC to provide additional resources for the Tourism and Wildlife Management Unit,” explained Mr Gabafusa, from the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) pavilion here recently.
The Ugandan legislator underscored the importance of promoting local tourism through creating synergies among tourism association in the region.
Equally, Mr Gabafusa reserved praise to the organizers of the just ended tourism expo, noting that it had enhanced the level of networking in a bid to reset the sector which is still reeling from the Pandemic.
Considered as the region’s largest tourism expo Karibu-Kili Fair brought together more than 350 exhibitors from 12 different countries. It also hosted almost 400 registered travel agents from 38 countries.
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