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Swiss tour operators target Uganda as demand grows

UGANDA TOURISM BOARD

 

10 April 2017

 

KAMPALA

 

Swiss tour operators target Uganda as demand grows

 

Swiss tour operator Let´s Go Tours who is one of the largest partners for Uganda in Switzerland, will execute a travel agent fam trip in November due to the highly increasing demand for Uganda. Already on their itinerary is the popular tracking of mountain gorilla, and chimpanzee.

 

Originally, these companies had planned for a trip for 10 but this has since risen to 15 after over 80 inquiries coming in. Places are limited to allow for the best personal experience of destination Uganda, however, future trips can be arranged for other paying groups. All of the 15 fam trip participants are top level travel agents, travel agency owners or branch managers.

 

The growing interest in Uganda is a direct result from the work of PR hired by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB). In May 2016, the Government through its agency the UTB hired three PR and marketing firms to represent Uganda in the growing global travel market. The firms PHG Consulting, Kamageo and KPRN represent, promote and seek tourism investment on behalf of Uganda in the North America, UK and Ireland, and German speaking markets at a total combined cost of US$1.5million for a year.

 

These firms were chosen after an international competitive bidding process managed and funded by the World Bank through the Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project (CEDP), coordinated by the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU). The five-year project comprises of four major components and is being implemented by seven agencies.

 

The overall objective of the assignment is to leverage Uganda as a prime tourism travel destination. This is to be achieved by providing strategic marketing, sales representation and public relations services in the respective markets.  Eventually it is hoped this will increase tourism arrivals and length of stay in the country and overall spend.

 

Uganda Tourism Board CEO Stephen Asiimwe says the firms work directly impacts on development and employment in Uganda.

 

“In 2015, the direct contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP was UGX2,982.1bn (3.7% of GDP). This is forecast to rise by 0.7% to UGX3,002.7bn in 2016,” says Asiimwe. “Tourism generated 464,500 jobs directly in 2015 (3.1% of total employment), while in the wider context including effects from investment, the supply chain and induced income impacts, it generated 1,173,000 jobs (7.8% of total employment),” says Asiimwe.