UGANDA RE-OPENS SAVANNAH NATIONAL PARKS AMIDST STRICT MEASURES
Uganda re-opens savannah National Parks amidst strict measures as a move to revive the tourism industry. A statement issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority on Twitter account revealed that the different Savannah National Parks across the country will be re-opened for visitors.
The savannah National Parks to be re-opened are Murchison Falls-the prime and largest National Park situated in the North-west of the country, Queen Elizabeth, Semliki and Lake Mburo National Parks in the west as well as Kidepo Valley National Park in the remote North-eastern side of Uganda. This move is part of the country’s plan to recover the tourism sector from the effects of Covid-19 and its associated lockdowns as well as restrictions that had seen the country lose a significant percentage of its over $1.6 billion annual earnings from the sector.
The goods news that comes with this development is that even accommodation facilities and tour operators across the country are prepared to resume business and serve their clients to satisfaction with some of the available discounts. It’s now obvious that Domestic tourism is the hope to reviving the vulnerable industry since most Airports across the globe are still under lockdown. Despite the perception that most tourism products and promotion strategies are aimed at International tourists, Jonathan Benaiah-Spokesperson Association of Uganda Tour Operators pointed that marketing strategies will mostly target domestic tourists.
However, the primate National Parks of Bwindi Impenetrable, Mgahinga and Kibale Forest National Parks still remain closed.
Since Uganda is not yet free from Covid-19, the Parks have been opened under strict measures that include mandatory hand washing or sanitizing at the entrance of all National Parks, mandatory temperature checks with non-contact thermometers at the Park entrances, big groups of more than 25 tourists shall not be allowed for the same activities at the same time, the Government’s guideline of half carrying capacity shall be implemented in vehicles and boats to maintain social distancing, tourists and tour guides/rangers are advised to have their personal hand sanitizers and wear face masks, saloon vehicles are not allowed for game drives and events bringing together big groups (such as destination weddings) are not yet allowed. Additionally, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has trained and provided various Personal Protective Equipment to its staff to safeguard them and tourists from any possible infection. Not only that, standard operating procedures will be followed when dealing with visitors or among staff members.
For tour operators to revive their businesses amidst the re-opening of the National Parks, the Government has to step in by providing tax holidays, bailouts (since some of them had become bankrupt) as well as increasing or changing marketing strategies to now target domestic tourists. Lily Ajarova-Uganda Tourism Board Executive Director also pointed that the Board is presently in talks with various Tour Operators as well as other Tourism sector players to come up with plans for domestic tourism promotion. The board will also advertise destinations with their packages and pocket-friendly rates to entice the local tourists.
The Tourism industry has for ages been one of Uganda’s top foreign exchange earners in addition to coffee with over 1.5 million people who had visited the country in the 2018/2019 financial year. This earned the country over $1.6 billion in the same financial year and these numbers may not be realized with the covid-19 outbreak that affected the industry. The country is now looking at the local and regional tourists to fill the gap in its draft sector recovery plan post covid-19.
