Let’s promote local tourism
At the end of my second year first semester at Makerere University, I exploited the opportunity to visit Mbale on a trip sponsored by the university. Mbale Town is flanked by Mt Elgon, so visually stunning and intimidating at the same time.
The icing on the cake was a visit to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa. Here, I was standing before a feature I had only heard about on radio, read in newspapers and watched on TV but had never got a chance to see it physically. A treasure in our own backyard that many citizens are unaware of.
I understand the need to attract foreigners to this country so we can cash in on their curiosity but how about cashing in on the curiosity of Ugandans? We should promote local tourism too. Very few Ugandans are aware of the treasures that lie in the corners of this country.
The locals too need to see the wonders of their country and appreciate what Winston Churchill was able to see about 100 years ago when he declared this country the Pearl of Africa.
If it wasn’t for the university-sponsored trip, I would never have crossed the threshold of my village to Mbale. That is because it is expensive for the locals to access areas in their own country that are constantly being marketed to foreigners.
The Uganda tourism board should create packages that are friendly to the pockets of locals.
It is strange to hear Ugandans saying they want to fly to other countries for tourism yet they know little about tourism sites in their own country.
It is hard to hear Ugandans talking about how they would want to go visit a game parks in their own country.
Violet Mugabi
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