The government is toying with the strategy to ensure that Uganda earns at least 20 trillion shillings each year from its tourism industry within the next two decades. “By Constitution, it is commanded to develop these institutions in a balanced manner. So the partners we are looking in private must share this vision of balanced manner; investing in protected areas and you manage them the two of you.” Said, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu – Minister for Tourism & Wildlife.

In part, banking on private investments into the hospitality sector, it is also anticipated that business and leisure travelers arriving into Uganda could offload dollars to the economy. “But most importantly, we boost 13 boardrooms and the boardrooms on the property can each accommodate approximately 10 – 12 maybe 14 medium sized people quite comfortably and I think that’s the most important part of Kampala where there is a lot of present activity and people don’t have enough meeting space and rooms for people to certainly meet.” Said, Jerod Flaum – General Manager, Naguru Skyz Hotel.

The Uganda Wildlife Act is also set for reforms, most prominent of which is offering the leeway for fresh investments into the protected areas. “We’ve looked at the Kenyan model of the conservancies, we have been working with African Wildlife Foundation and I think WCS on the issue of looking at some areas in Uganda as possible areas. We have a new law which is coming on the floor of Parliament and some of these are going to be discussed and if agreed upon it can be entrenched within the law. Definitely, we would love once it is a legal regime that is the formation conservancies then investment definitely will have to follow into that.” Said, Dr. Andrew Seguya – ED, Uganda Wildlife Authority.

With the richness of such wildlife and related natural features in Uganda, without doubt, private sector players under the Hotel Owners Association want International standards set out on grading. “And one of the things that we really need especially when are trying to lobby for business is grading and classification; how many five star hotels do you have? How many four star hotels do you have? So right now we have almost 100 officially graded and classified hotels but I still feel that is small when you look at a country that has over 4,000 hotels or accommodation facilities. So we need more money put into grading and classification through the Uganda Tourism Board and the Ministry of Tourism.” Said, Jean Byamugisha – Executive Director, Hotel Owners Association.

Currently, Uganda earns approximately 1.4 billion dollars or approximately 5 trillion shillings from the tourism sector. It remains to be seen if the laid up plans by the government and the private sector alike to enable the sector hit 20 folds in earnings.