This brand new week, we bring you our fresh new weekly Top Ten (10) digest for the most important things in Uganda’s Tourism, the world of Aviation and Travel that are trending especially in this Post COVID-19 Era. As always, we will be giving you highlights that make News rounds all through from start of the week. Below is our Weekly Newsletter for your readership.
Tourists planning to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary will now have a sigh of relief after almost two months of premise closure to the general public due to land conflicts between Ziwa Rhino sanctuary and Ziwa Rhino Wildlife Ranch in Nakasongola district.
On Thursday last week, a team of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) officials led by the Executive Director Sam Mwanda reached an understanding with the Managing Director Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch (ZRWR) Capt. Charles Roy in a joint meeting with district leaders of Nakasongola led by the Vice District Chairperson Tingira Samuel as they reopened for access the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary once again to the general public for visits since closure on April 20, 2021.
Photo Credit: Uganda Wildlife Authority
02. Covid-19 Surge: Rwandair calls off direct flights to Entebbe International Airport
Rwandair last week revealed that direct flights to Entebbe International Airport have been temporarily called off due to the surge in Covid-19 cases in Uganda.
This announcement was made by the Airline on Thursday June 10, 2021 in a media statement released earlier in the day.
03. Tourist numbers down at 83% but travel confidence slowly rising – UNWTO
International tourist arrivals were down 83% in the first quarter of 2021 as widespread travel restrictions remained in place. However, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Confidence Index shows signs of a slow uptick in confidence.
Between January and March 2021 destinations around the world welcomed 180 million fewer international arrivals compared to the first quarter of last year. Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the lowest levels of activity with a 94% drop in international arrivals over the three-month period.
04. KLM & BCG extend partnership for digital airline operations
Reducing delays and improving operational efficiency simultaneously: taking airline operations to the next level with AI
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) announced the extension of their partnership that was officially established in 2018 and was the first to launch on the market a suite of tools delivering integral planning and control for airline operations.
05. UGANDA CULTURES; Why the Itesots are a popular tribe in the Eastern region
The Iteso (or people of Teso) are a Nilo-Hamites ethnic group in eastern Uganda and western Kenya. Teso refers to the traditional homeland of the Iteso, and Ateso is their language. Iteso is plural (two or more people from Teso), Etesot and Atesot are singular. Etesot is for male person from Teso and Atesot is feminine. Iteso are believed to have migrated from Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
In Uganda, Iteso inhabit the districts of Soroti, Kumi, Katakwi, Amuria, Bukedea, Serere, Ngora, Pallisa, Kaberamaido, Tororo, Kapelebyong and Kalaki. Iteso are known to be a very generous and hospitable group of people. The cultural drink of Iteso is ‘ajon’, commonly consumed in local ceremonies and social gatherings. They practice crop and animal farming and attach great value to land.
06. South African Airlink to start scheduled flights to Uganda
Regardless of the covid-19 effects world wide, the air transport sector continues to dig through so as to remain relevant and on going. The latest news in the sector is that, celebrated South African private-sector and regional airline Airlink has announced that it will start scheduled services to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda starting July 19 and will be operated four times a week.
According to Airlink CEO and MD Rodger Foster, he said “Entebbe, which is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, serves Kampala, which is Uganda’s economic and trading hub, but also an important gateway to the Eastern Africa economic community and the Great Lakes region, which represents a significant market.”
07. How Air traffic control works to keep aircraft flying safely
When most of us step onto a commercial flight, we take for granted the job that air traffic controllers do, not to mention the systems that enable aircraft to navigate successfully. There is quite a lot involved in air traffic control; let’s investigate how it works.
“The resources could be used for furnishing schools, hospitals and constructing feeder roads,” says the UWA executive director Sam Mwandha. “Others communities have been equipped with income generating like: bee keeping and pepper gardening to repel elephants but earn them income as well.”
True to his word in Nwoya the local government has dug trenches to prevent elephants from encroaching on gardens and mauling food. To contain the ranging human/wildlife conflict in the neighbourhood of Murchison Falls National Park, electric fences have been constructed to keep the gentle giants away from mauling gardens.
09. COVID-19 continues ravaging Uganda’s tourism after earnings dropped by 72%
The Corona Pandemic has taken a great toll on Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings after earnings from tourists’ arrivals fell by 72.7% to US$440 million in 2020 as earlier reported.
According to a 2020 report on the tourism outcomes, Uganda received a total of 473,085 tourists compared to 1,542,620 tourist arrivals in 2019, representing more than 69% drop.
Data from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities shows that most of the tourist (262,084) arrived in the country for business or professional work, followed up by transit visitors (64,630). More than 64,600 arrivals were visiting friends and relatives.
10. Uganda Tourism Board issues an update on country’s tourism amid the second wave of Covid-19
Following the president’s address as regards the surging Covid-19 cases in Uganda earlier on Sunday, June 6, 2021, a number of restrictions and strict measures were communicated and effected among which included closing of schools, churches and banning inter district travels.
With such restrictions effected, the tourism sector has come aboard and communicated on how the sector will conduct its activities amidst these stringent measures.
According to a press release by Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), a leading tourism guiding body, tourism activities will continue taking place country wide under a set of regulations to combat Covid-19 infection surge.
UTB has also provided information regarding the guidelines on the use of tourist vehicles.
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