Uganda is set to be a major tourist destination once the proposed 7 Wonders National Program takes center stage. The campaign will also boost Uganda's revenue earnings with figures estimated at over $2.5b each year.
The initiative designed by Amos Wekesa Masaba a tourism investor and President Uganda Tourism Association is supported by the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU).
Commissioned last week at the launch of Proudly Ugandan Club at Kampala Serena Hotel, the 7 wonders program will gear the tourism sector in Uganda into great heights.
Wekesa told New Vision that 7 Wonders is a premier promotional campaign geared at advancing tourism inside and outside Uganda through branding.
“The campaign shall involve asking Ugandans within and abroad to choose Uganda’s 7 wonders. The selection of the 7 wonders will start with President, Cabinet, and Parliament before it rolls out across the country,” he said.
A World Bank program implemented by PSFU has approved funding for the initial survey of the tourism attractions amongst tourism stakeholders to choose the best 30 natural wonders out of which the whole nation will choose the to 7 wonders of Uganda.
Ugandans will be given a chance to vote the best wonders of Uganda via sms, radio and internet.
Ernest & Young, an International Consulting firm will carry out the survey that will include identification of outstanding unique features that are increasingly particular to Uganda only.
“The features will be identified from across the whole country with selections spread across flora, fauna, national parks and forests,” he said. Others will include features like rivers, mountains, rocks, historical, religious and anthropological sites.
Wekesa says the campaign once successful will earn Uganda over $2.5b (Shs700 trillion) annually from tourism.
Gideon Badaggawa the chief executive PSFU said the campaign is a boost towards improving competitiveness in the Ugandan tourism industry. ‘Uganda’s scenic, unique and rich tourism potential has gone unnoticed over years,” he said.
He said the campaign is being supported by USAID (Sustainable Tourism in the Albertine Rift), Uganda Wildlife Authority and Uganda Tourism Board among others.
Despite the tourism potential, Uganda receives a small number of tourists averaging around 500,000 a year.
Wekesa says the potential benefits accruing from tourism will increase income for stakeholders in transport, hospitality, community, communication and financial sectors.
“Uganda will be earning more from the sale of crafts, money transfer, visit to national parks, beaches, mountain climbing and accommodation and meals in hotels,” explained Wekesa.
He said revenues will double once the numbers of tourists rise. “What we need is market for our products and what would be better that attracting 2m people each year with a potential of each at least $2500 (Shs7m) while in Uganda,’ he mused.
Unlike other East African countries that invested much in tourism last year (Kenya-$23m, Tanzania $10m, Rwanda $5m) Uganda only invested $300,000 earning a paltry $650m.
But unlike the other states, Uganda still stands out because it has the highest density of primates (gorillas, chimps, baboons).
The campaign will boost Uganda’s earnings in bird watching with figures estimated to $400,000 (Shs1.5b) annually.
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