Travel and Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in Uganda. It has
grown over the years to become a major source of revenue and also has
the potential to even become the economy’s backbone within the next
few years. Despite its potential, the industry has not been performing
well. Domestic tourism has remained trivial in Uganda when compared to its
regional counterparts like Kenya and Rwan
da. This is largely due to the
fact that very little marketing has been done within the county itself. The people of Uganda and West Nile in particular need to embrace
tourism and understand the bene ts of preserving the culture, beauty
and unique attributes of this region therefore becoming custodians,
caretakers and guides. This appreciation of the tourism industry will in
turn generate job opportunities for them. In Uganda, over the years, travel and tourism has basically been focused
on wildlife, especially on the promotion of gorillas. However, as the
choice of travel increases, tourists are increasingly looking beyond
gorilla tourism for other experiences. The rapidly changing nature of
tourism trends and behavior has made it necessary to look for ways to
diversify and develop new products through advocating alternative
forms of travel e.g. Cultural and Heritage tourism for visitors(both locally
& internationally) keen to learn more about the kingdoms, chiefdoms,
ancient customs and ways of life. The West Nile region of Uganda often overlooked by travelers and is
certainly not on the map for mainstream tourism yet it has over 40
known existing monuments and cultural sites. Although in dire need of
rehabilitation, the history behind these establishments is priceless and
should be preserved for the future generations and hence promote
sustainable tourism.
