Elephants in Queen Elizabeth National Park; the Lemala Wildwaters Lodge in Jinja; and the Silver Back adult male gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
New partnership starts as the destination launches its “Explore Uganda –
The Pearl of Africa” campaign; covid testing on arrival at Entebbe also dropped from 16 February as Ugandan tourism recovery gets under way
LOS ANGELES, CA, 2022-Feb-24 — /Travel PR News/ — The Worldwide Travel Alliance (WTA) has announced a new partnership with leading Ugandan safari operator, Ganyana Safaris.
Effective immediately, WTA will promote the company’s destination experiences in the UK, Ireland, plus German- and French-speaking markets in Europe.
Trips to see the gorillas in Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are Ganyana’s, and Uganda’s, key drawcard. Ganyana also offers big game trips to see lions, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, hippos, rhinos and assorted bird life in their natural settings.
Ganyana will also use WTA to promote community tourism, tribal and cultural experiences showcasing Uganda’s music, food, dance and heritage beyond wildlife watching.
“With 25 national parks and reserves, highly experienced rangers and researchers, Murchison Falls, the Nile River, Lake Victoria, snow-capped mountains, and a vibrant, diverse culture, we believe Uganda deserves a bigger share of the international ecotourism and safari market,” said Mr Kizito Juma (pictured), Managing Director of Ganyana Safaris.
In January, Uganda unveiled “Explore Uganda – The Pearl of Africa”. At the launch, Uganda Tourism Board Chief Executive, Ms Lilly Ajarova, said it was “important that all stakeholders are aligned on what makes us the Pearl of Africa and how we unpack that for the various travel markets and segments around the world”.
At the event, Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni drew attention to the country’s temperate climate, stunning diversity of flora and fauna, community tourism, Uganda’s strategic location in the center of East Africa, and its reputation as the likely birthplace of mankind.
To showcase the “Pearl of Africa”, WTA will help Ganyana Safaris promote safaris ranging from four to 21 days. Beyond its iconic geography, gorilla encounters and big game viewing, Ganyana has updated its bird watching, community tourism and cultural experience tours.
Juma said he is witnessing increased interest in different tribal traditions reflected in Ganyana’s tours, as well as glamping, white water rafting and mountain hiking.
“Our aim at Ganyana is to excel at value for money, reliability, flexibility and adding value such as complimentary drinks, barbecues and the like,” he said. “It’s not just about nature. We have opportunities for guests to give back and meet villagers, park rangers, researchers, musicians, dancers and get an overall feel for the way of life in Uganda.”
Further information: https://www.ganyanasafaris.com
The magnificent Shoebill in the Mabamba Swamp near Entebbe; charitable opportunities to give back and help communities along the way in Kasese; Lake Mutanda in Kisoro district
UGANDA TOURISM AT A GLANCE
- 5 million international visitors in 2019, earning US$1.6bn1
- Only 473,000 visitors in 2020, earning US$0.44bn1
- 322,000 tourism jobs in 2020, down from 536,000 in 20191
- Pre-covid, Uganda saw 20% average arrival growth per year for a decade3
- Biggest non-African source markets in 2020: India, USA, UK1
- Pre-covid, tourism accounted for 7.7% of GDP and 6.3% of employment2
UGANDA’S STRATEGIC TOURISM PLAN2
As part of Uganda’s five-year strategic tourism plan 2020-2025, the country aims to:
- Return tourism income to pre-covid levels of about US$1.45 billion per year
- Return tourism-related employment to around 667,600 jobs, about 6.3% of country’s total employment
- Increase inbound tourism revenue per visitor from US$1,036 to US$1,500
- Increase the proportion of leisure tourists from 20 to 30%
- Increase the number of direct flights from Europe and Asia from six to 30
Sources:
1 Ugandan Government
2 Trade Mark East Africa
3 Skift