Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. There is economic power that potentially exists throughout Uganda - the untapped tourism industry.
In 2006, Uganda made slightly over $300-million from tourism. It had a total 770 000 arrivals then, compared with 883 000 in 2007. The figures include people visiting for business, conferences and cross-border trade.
In 2007 Kampala hosted a meeting of the Commonwealth heads of states (CHOGM) which boosted annual earnings to $475-million and helped tourism surpass coffee as the leading foreign exchange earner, according to the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB).
Although tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner for Uganda, the government has been doing very little to promote it. Uganda's tourism sector has been dwarfed by that in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania which really advertise a lot and have a long tradition as major destinations for travellers to Africa.
However, President Yoweri Museveni earlier this year enacted into law a bill which allows the tourism board to raise funds from the private sector for marketing the country and its activities.
In 2008, Uganda projects $500-million earnings from its growing tourism sector, up five percent from last year.
Unlike Kenya and Tanzania which go for the mass market, Uganda targets the high spending travellers niche. Many of the travellers have been from the United States and Western Europe, but the country is now selling itself in emerging markets such as China and Eastern Europe.
京公网安备 11010502048770号
