Gorilla tracking boosts revenue
A gorilla in a forest. The number of gorilla permits sold during the low seasons has seen the revenue collections for the tourism board grow. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
Revenue growth. In 2014, Uganda realised Shs4.3 billion, up from Shs4.1 billion recorded in 2013 and Shs3.1 billion registered in 2012.
Kampala. Uganda Wild Authority is proposing an extension of the discount campaign on gorilla tracking permits since it is boosting the country’s revenue.
The campaign which was launched three-years ago, has seen the number of permits sold increase by 37.3 per cent (2012-2014).
The programme recommends for the sale of permits at $350 (Shs1 million) for Non-Foreign Residents (NFR), $300 (Shs900,000) for Non - Residents (NR) and Shs150,000 for East African Residents. All this is done during the low season.
In an interview with Daily Monitor, UWA’s executive director Andrew Seguya said: “We have received overwhelming numbers from people who want to track the gorillas and this has been exhibited during the times of this campaign.”
UWA is planning to extend the campaign from end of May 31 to end of December 2015.
Gorilla permits sales data, for similar periods of April, May and November since 2009, showed an increase in the number of permits sold during the periods of promotions.
There was a 29 per cent increase in the number of permits sold in 2011(1,210 permits) compared to that of 2010 (939 permits).
Annually, records show a consistency in the number of permits sold during the low seasoned months of April, May and November.
In 2009, a total of 1,902 permits were sold, this went up to 2,192 permits sold in 2010, indicating a 13.2 per cent growth.
In 2012, 2,640 permits were sold and this number almost doubled to 4,040 in 2013 and last year, the demand went up as 4,169 permits were sold.
Mr Raymond Engena, UWA’s director Tourism Development and Business Services, said: “We are optmistic that we shall also see good results especially now that the campaign has been extended till December”.
In 2014, the country realised Shs4.3b in revenue. This was more than the Shs4.1b recorded in 2013 and Shs3.1b registered in 2012.
TOURISTS
Tourist arrivals. According the Tourism Board, current tourist arrivals have reached 1.4 million as of 2014 records, up from 600,000 in 2006.
Earnings. These numbers have also seen the country’s earnings from tourists arrivals go up to $1.4 billion (about Shs4 trillion) in 2013-2014 up from $600,000 (about Shs1.2 billion) realised in 2006.
