The newly appointed Ugandan Tourism Ambassador who doubles as a multi-award-winning top musician Ediirisa Musuza alias Eddy Kenzo has called upon Ugandan tour operators to localize the tourism sector so as to improve the bruised tourism sector.
This comes as Uganda joined the entire world to celebrate the annual International Tourism Day celebrated every 27th September. Kenzo made this call with reflection from this year’s theme ‘Tourism and Rural Development’ which he believes will help the sector rip huge from the locals in a bid to develop their communities.
“We need to make Ugandans love their local tourism, why would they go to Dubai to tour? I don’t think a Ugandan should be charged in dollars because this scares them away. Lodge owners should also look at subsidizing the sleeping fees,” Kenzo commented.
The tourism ambassador also suggested that new dimensions should be thought of by tourism authorities to see better experiences served to tourist. He argues that local menus should be incorporated in Uganda’s tourism as this will not only create jobs for local chefs but also make our local meals be recognized internationally.
“Why would a tourist come and eat something he has been eating in his country, let them try our local menus. We should also showcase our cultures, languages, norms and beliefs, tourism should not be limited to our tourist attractions like the game parks, mountains, waterfalls and birds.”
Kenzo shares that tour operators should also look at promoting Uganda’s native languages in tourism and come up with simple initiatives like giving some of our local names/ tourist attraction names to the tourists that visit Uganda as this will give them a sense of belonging.
“I want to start a campaign of leaving a tourism team on ground in each area I visit. These people will be champions of selling their locality to the world. This way, we will not only be selling just Uganda to Ugandans but also to the world over. I made research and found out that we focus much on foreigners. We need to treat Ugandan tourists the same way we treat foreigners, this will not only promote love for their country but it will also boost local tourism immensely,” he shared.
In persuit to curb down the Covid-19 pandemic, the restrictions on travel and a sudden drop in consumer demand have led to an unprecedented fall in international tourism numbers, which in turn have led to economic loss and the loss of jobs in the sector.
With livelihoods at risk in and around protected areas, cases of poaching and looting are expected to rise. With 90% of World Heritages Sites closed as a result of the pandemic, humanity’s cultural heritage is at risk in all parts of the world.
According to a statement from on the United Nations website, this World Tourism Day, the COVID-19 pandemic represents an opportunity to rethink the future of the tourism sector, including how it contributes to the sustainable development goals, through its social, cultural, political, and economic value.
“Tourism can eventually help us move beyond the pandemic, by bringing people together and promoting solidarity and trust crucial ingredients in advancing the global cooperation so urgently needed at this time. The 2020 edition of World Tourism Day, with the theme of “Tourism and Rural Development”, will celebrate the unique role that tourism plays in providing opportunities outside of big cities and preserving cultural and natural heritage all around the world.”
The statement adds that this year’s international day of observation comes at a critical moment, as countries around the world look to tourism to drive recovery, including in rural communities where the sector is a leading employer and economic pillar providing jobs and opportunity, most notably for women and youth.
“The situation is particularly hard for youth: young people in rural communities are three times more likely to be unemployed than older adults. Tourism is a lifeline, offering young people a chance to earn a living without having to migrate either within their home countries or abroad.”
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