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.
01. Uganda already reaping big from the Dubai Expo
The pearl of Africa is among 192 countries that are exhibiting at the 2020 Dubai World Expo currently hosted by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The Dubai Expo 2020 will run for six months from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 and Uganda has already set foot. It will be open seven days a week, from 10:00 to 00:00 on Saturday to Wednesday, and 10:00 to 02:00 on Thursday and Friday.
02. Kahunde wins 2021/2022 Miss Tourism beauty pageant
Tooro beauty queen Susan Kahunde, 22, is the new and reigning Uganda Tourism ambassador after beating 26 other contestants for the Miss Tourism 2021/2022 crown over the weekend.
The new beauty queen, Ms Kahunde is the former Tooro Sub-region miss Tourism winner and is a certified midwife from Tumu Medical Institute.
The first runner up, Ms Phiona Opia, 22, holds a diploma in Agri-business management from Bukalasa Agricultural College, and the second runner-up, Ms Rashidah Namukwaya, 21, is a student pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration from Makerere University Business School.
03. Viva Uganda: National carrier makes maiden trip to Dubai
According to the Airline’s officials, the destination is popular with Ugandan travellers who go there mostly for business and leisure and they look forward to gaining more from the advancement given that Dubai is a lucrative route.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Dubai was one of the most preferred destinations and remains a popular route for most Ugandan travellers, according to Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).
04. IATA pushes South Africa to support Airline Industry
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on the South African government to support the air transport industry. The aim is to help other industries such as travel and tourism recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the medical emergency, South Africa saw air transport contribute billions to the economy of the nation.
Between 2017 and 2019, air transport’s contribution to the economic well-being of the South African economy fell from US$9.4 billion to US$7.6 billion in gross value, according to IATA. This figure represents 3.2 % of South Africa’s overall gross domestic product (GDP). Also, when considering the number of jobs it supported, it went from directly supporting 472,000 jobs to 364,000 jobs.
05. Private jet demand soars for September and October
Flexjet and PrivateFly, two of Europe’s leading private jet providers, are reporting unprecedented demand for travel in September and October, with continuing high levels of premium leisure flying and the return of business travel fuelling an exceptional interest in private flights.
Both companies have revealed heightened operations in September compared to August, bucking usual seasonal trends, and following an already-busy summer season. Luxury fleet operator Flexjet, which offers shared ownership of its premium private jets in Europe, is operating +53% more flights in September than the previous month, with bookings for October also rising rapidly.
06. Dubai retunes after Covid-19 messed up year with a $7bn six month long Expo 2020
The event may also help lay a platform to reverse last year’s steep population decline, which the government is trying to address through programs to lure foreigners.
07. UAE hotel occupancies cross 90%, F&B sales seen rising by 30%
Demand upsurge, fuelled by Expo and easing of travel restrictions, has also led to a jump in hotel tariffs, with rates seeing a 40 percent increase for October and expected to further rise in November.
The combined effect of Expo 2020 Dubai and relaxations in tourism-related travel on the UAE’s hospitality industry is loud and clear – with some of the leading players in the hotel sector reporting occupancy levels touching over 90 percent, while the food and beverage (F&B) sector, already seeing a quantum jump in footfall in the last fortnight, is expecting a boost in sales of up to 30 percent in a near-term basis.
08. Digital tools to revitalize Tourism
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) continues to energize the restart of tourism based on sustainability and innovation.
An agreement with MUST Travel & Tech places a digital tool at the service of tourism, allowing users to share their experiences to promote the reactivation of the sector with a view to sustainability. Presented during the UNWTO Mayors’ Forum in Porto, Portugal, the tool is an opportunity for the advancement of smart cities, as well as destinations that incorporate technology and innovation in their development.
09. International travel still affected despite Uptick in May
The latest UNWTO data shows that over the first five months of the year, world destinations recorded 147 million fewer international arrivals (overnight visitors) compared to the same period of 2020, or 460 million less than pre-pandemic year of 2019. However, the data does point to a relatively small upturn in May, with arrivals declining by 82% (versus May 2019), after falling by 86% in April.
This slight upward trend emerged as some destinations started to ease restrictions and consumer confidence rose slightly.
10. Sheraton Kampala Hotel treats Seafood lovers to an exquisite culinary dining experience
Sheraton Kampala hotel, last evening reinstated the monthly Seafood and Sushi fine dining experience where seafood devotees will be treated to the best unique and exquisite sea foods from; India, Mombasa, United States of America among other Countries every last Saturday of the month starting 4pm.
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