Dr Francis Mugizi Lecturer at Makere University while speaking on the opportunities in Community Based Tourism in Acholi sub region .Photo by Sintes R. Obwona
By Sintes R. Obwona
Gulu: Acholi sub-region boasts of scenic beauty, cultural and historical sites that offer great attraction for both domestic and foreign tourists but the opportunity is riddled with a few bottle necks, according to some locals and experts.
Many tourism sites in the region that include Amuru hot spring, Kalongo Hill, Aruu Falls, Guru Guru hill and Baker’s Fort do not make it to major online tourism publications either due to advertising cost or ignorance on the part of local tour operators.
For example, this writer found out that despite publishing at least six hot springs in Uganda in an article entitled “Hot springs in Uganda”, tour and travel magazine African Jungles Adventure did not mention Amuru Hot spring.
Another online tourism guide website Gorilla Trips named seven natural hot springs in Uganda and still, Amuru hot spring missed on the list.
These two scenarios are proof that Acholi’s tourist attractions still lack digital presence.
According to Gulu city resident Brenda Akello, majority of local tourism sector players still miss the gist of tourism advertising especially digitally.
Akello calls for mass use of digital tools to advance community-based tourism.
Tourism ministry roots for capacity building
George Nicholas Kidega, the Gulu City Commercial Officer acknowledges the fact that northern Uganda is lagging behind as far as promoting tourism is concerned.
Kidega says it is not yet late to embrace new positive changes through skills and knowledge enhancement at grass root.
Based on the above identified need, Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) is rooting for capacity building for local entrepreneurs so that they can spur tourism using the Community Based Tourism (CBT) model.
Dr. Amos Ochieng (Ph.D), a wildlife Scholar and Wildlife Conservative explained that CBT as defined- is a form of tourism model where locals are empowered to develop tourist attraction at the grassroots where a tourist site is located.
This is done through building local but safe infrastructures, food, recreation and tour guide that would befit local and foreign tourists.
Dr. Ochieng who is also the director of Encounter Africa Safari Limited- a tourism firm based in Entebbe-Wakiso district said tourism in northern Uganda still limps. Ochieng cites the two-decade Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency as the primary reason for the slow growth in the sector.
The Dr. says in capacity building, local government leadership should also be included. “Tourists are attracted to local experiences like food, shelter and leisure,” he remarked.
George Owoyesigire, the assistant commissioner Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) revealed that in a bid to promote tourism in Uganda, the MTWA is promoting privatization of business opportunities in tourism using the Uganda Tourism Act.
Owoyesigire asked local entrepreneurs to register their businesses and firms with the government through Uganda Registration Service Bureau and also register with Uganda Community Tourism Association (UCOTA) for better planning and opportunities.
Herman Shem Nduggu, a local resident of Patiko Sub- County who lives in the neighbourhood of Fort Patiko (Bakers’ Fort) said that he intends to introduce a community dialogue that would bring the locals together to brainstorm on what business opportunities they have from Fort Patiko.
Nduggu who holds a certificate in Tourism and Hospitality explained that Fort Patiko as a tourism site is not benefiting locals but initiating new business ideas can change the current situation.
Francis Mugizi(Ph.D), a lecturer at the Department of Forestry Biodiversity and Tourism in Makerere University stated that locals who are surrounded by tourism sites should be introduced to trends that attract tourists at those sites.
He noted that the communities can achieve this goal by forming groups so that they raise funds and learn new skills, citing UCOTA as one of those Associations.
Sandra Againe, the Brand Manager of MultiChoice Uganda highlighted that tourism industry is fast growing by use of digital technology and that calls for adaptation and incorporating the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in transacting tourism businesses.
Againe explains that using ICT can be in form of selling services, transportation, bookings for accommodation, online orders and purchases.
As a way forward, over 100 locals from Acholi Sub-region recently received capacity building training on developing CBT in the region.
The capacity building training named Empowering Entrepreneurship Skills of Community-Based Tourism Enterprises to Enhance Competitiveness of Tourism Industry was organized by the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities in collaboration with the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC).
The meeting drew participants from Senegal, Malaysia, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda from 16th-18th July 2024.
