The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) is calling for a change in focus from marketing nature based tourism to infrastructure tourism – as the sector struggles to navigate the challenges brought about by the Covid–19 pandemic.
UTB Chief Executive Officer Lilly Ajarova while appearing at the spotlight Ug show on Nbs Television highlighted the need to change focus in marketing the country, to reduce the dependence on nature based tourism that is anchored on flora and fauna. To Ajarova, focus should turn to infrastructure tourism.
“We have been dependent on nature based tourism but it is time to diversify into the different areas if we are to recover from the impact of Covid-19 on Uganda’s tourism.”
The Uganda Tourism Board is charged with marketing Uganda’s tourism sector locally and abroad.
Ajarova believes that the country’s tourism sector will quickly recover from the shocks of the covid 19 pandemic, despite tourist generating countries taking a cautious approach in opening up for international travel.
Aggressive marketing campaigns for the tourism sector have been embarked on at national, regional and international levels so as to communicate value and facilitate quick recovery for the bleeding sector
“We have agencies that we are working with to do experimental domestic campaigns and internationally we are using key personalities like Eddy Kenzo.”
The Tourism sector earnings rose from sh5.3 trillion in 2018 to sh5.8 trillion in 2019 – according to government.
These earnings took a hit following the outbreak of Covid – 19 and the subsequent lock downs announced globally in 2020 as governments struggled to contain the spread of the virus.
