By Ambrose Gahene
The Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities on Monday teamed up with stakeholders to promote Easter holidays getaway packages. For many years, the marketing of the tourism services in Uganda has been heavily skewed towards key international markets.
Very little effort is targeted towards the domestic form of the service or the domestic market. Destinations for international in bound tourists are marketed for domestic tourists, yet the two tourists have different motivations.
“As a ministry and most especially after the Covid 19 pandemic, we have decided to make some very strategic inroads towards promoting the domestic tourism service.
“In order to be able to achieve this, we have teamed up with the private sector members like the Uganda Hotel Owners Association, the Domestic Tourism Forum comprised of leading domestic tourism service providers like Breathtaking Uganda, TravelNeza, Umoja Conservation Trust, Vilakazi Safaris, Ikorom Safaris, various domestic airlines plying the local routes like Aero Link, Bar Aviation, public transport providers and several leading regional tourism clusters” said Martin Bahinduka Mugarra, Minister of State Tourism, while addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre.
Minister Bahinduka said during the domestic tourism campaign, they are targeting working with different stakeholders to come up with packages that are tailor-made, specifically for Ugandans bearing in mind their unique travel needs and interests.
“It is against this background that today morning we are launching the Easter holidays getaway packages, encouraging Ugandans to use the Easter holiday period to go out there and recharge in various destinations across Uganda” he added.
He said based on research they have done and on the partnerships they have built, they have identified the following destinations as the major domestic holiday hubs that attract the bulk of Ugandans.
“These destinations include Kabale-Lake-Bunyonyi, Kabale Safari Club, Keije Lodge, Birdnest Lodge, Villagio Eco Lodge, Tuzza, Little Ritz , Ssesse-Islands-Kalangala,Brovad Sands Lodge Ssese Leisure Beach Hotel, Victoria Forest Resort, Pelican Beach Resort Hotel, and Jinja adventure City among others” he enumerated.
Aero link and Bar Aviation Airlines have offered Ugandans preferential flight rates for return tickets for only $250 or UGS 890,000 to any of the following destinations during the Easter break starting 10th April to the 22nd of April, 2022.
The destinations are; Murchison Falls National Park either Bugungu or Pakuba or Chobe landing strips, Queen Elizabeth or Kasese or Semuliki landing airstrips, Kisoro or Kabale landing strips, Mbarara or Lake Mburo National Parks
“I am delighted to advise that Uganda’s own Lemala Wildwaters Lodge has made it through to the final of the prestigious Luxury Travel Advisor’s Most Instagrammable Hotels in the World.
“The Government of Uganda is thrilled to see the magnificent beauty of our country brought to a worldwide audience and we appeal to you all to vote patriotically and bring this award to Uganda,” said Jobs Rwenyakiro, the domestic tourism forum Uganda Coordinator.
He added that guests on Wild Waters enjoy river-based activities from the soon to open River Club adventure hub, including Uganda’s newest bungee tower, heart-pounding white-water rafting, and more gentle relaxation at a river-themed spa.
“Wild Waters Lodge, River Club, and the activities they offer are the perfect way to recover from a busy week in the city – and a great place to celebrate any special occasion”, he added.
