Tourism stakeholders have proposed the creation of a digital marketplace platform where they can market their various tourism products.
Speaking at the Presidential CEO Forum, which gathered tourism actors at the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Entebbe, Jackline Kemirembe, the Chairperson of Women in Tourism, mentioned that several tourism players mostly women deal in a wide range of tourism products which they wish to sell, but are unable to access the market.
According to Kemirembe, some women are involved in agro-tourism, cultural tourism, among others, making it difficult for the world to discover and access these offerings. She noted that if there were a common digital platform where tourism actors could showcase their products, and have them promoted by a service provider, it would help promote tourism in the country.
During the event, Kemirembe also pointed out that women in tourism face challenges in accessing finance to boost their activities in the tourism industry, despite the many programs tailored to help women.
“With the help of government, we would like the public and private sectors to work together so that a Women in Tourism Fund can be set up, ensuring that women are included in the implementation of development programs,” Kemirembe remarked.
Irene Birungi Mugisha, the Chairperson of the CEO Forum, said they had brought together tourism actors from all sectors to first appreciate the government’s efforts in boosting tourism, to assess what can be achieved through collaboration, and to highlight critical issues that would later be presented to the Office of the Prime Minister for consideration in the National Development Plan IV.
The Presidential CEO Forum is set to host the first edition of the CEO Marathon in Fort Portal to promote health, ensure that CEOs are part of the tourism fraternity, and boost sports tourism.
The State Minister for ICT, Godfrey Kabyanga, said the government is set to invest heavily in sports tourism, which attracts large numbers of people due to its accessibility.
Kabyanga emphasized the need for public sensitization to help people understand that national parks are accessible, even at subsidized prices.
“With enough information, people can learn that you can enter a national park at any time for example, entering Queen Elizabeth National Park is cheaper than watching a match at Namboole,” Kabyanga said.
He stressed the need for increased marketing to promote Uganda’s tourism sites.
However, Kabyanga expressed dissatisfaction with individuals who use the internet to poorly market the country by posting images that do not promote the growth of the tourism sector.
He stated that, under the Computer Misuse Act, some individuals have already been reprimanded. He also revealed that the Uganda Communications Commission is in the process of upgrading its social media monitoring technology so that such negative content can be detected and removed before being posted.
The Presidential CEO Forum brought together various tourism operators, including hotel owners, tour agents, tour companies, and sports tourism actors, among others.