Uganda to attract 500 tourists, investors from Nordic states

Uganda's ambassador Mr Zaake Kibedi Wanumi (2nd left) at an event in Stockholm, Sweden

KAMPALA. The Ugandan Embassy to the Nordic countries has kick-started events to have 500 people come to Uganda by end of this year, the head of mission has said.
Uganda’s ambassador to the Nordics Zaake Wanume Kibedi said the mission that represents Uganda in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden has started activities under the theme “TOUR UGANDA” that will end with a delegation of about 500 people visiting the country.

This is in a bid to promote tourism, increase revenue and make the country a first world tourism destination for Nordic people.
He said: “We are now moving to commercial diplomacy, we therefore are engaging in business forums to provide information to investors, tourists and tour operators.”
“We shall have business and travel forums between now and November in all the Nordic countries as we gear up for the main event dubbed “TOUR UGANDA” where we expect to have at least 500 visitors come to Uganda by the end of this year,” he added.

The mission held a tourism seminar in Helsinki on April 21, attracting stakeholders in the Finland tourism sector, travel and tourism journalists and Ugandans living in Finland.
Similar events will take place on May 19 and on June 17 in Iceland, August 30 in Helsinki, September 3 in Stockholm Sweden and later in Copenhagen, Denmark before the main event in Uganda.
The Uganda Tourism Board chief executive officer Stephen Asiimwe said the activities by the mission have led to an increase in the number of tourists, especially from Denmark.
Funding,however, remains a challenge in organising these events.