Poor Elgon roads hurting tourism

Local leaders and tourism players in eastern Uganda have blamed the persistent low number of tourists to lack of adequate marketing and poor road network hindering accessibility.
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said the region receives 10 percent of tourists that visit the country despite being endowed with tourism potential.
Mr Saleh Naminya, the chief executive officer of Casa Uganda Safaris and Casa lodges, on Wednesday said accessibility to tourism sites in most of the districts has remained a huge challenge.

“This is because of factors like poor road networks and unbalanced marketing by the Uganda Tourism Board. The government has only dealt with other regions and ignored ours when it comes to construction of better roads,” Mr Naminya said.
Mr Naminya said Mt Elgon Park has a number of tourism products, which have remained least visited by the tourists. 
“The area is blessed within culinary, culture and adventure but most of this is lying idle,” he said.
Mt Elgon Park, which is composed of four protected areas including Mt Elgon, Pian, Upe, Matheniko and Bokora wildlife reserves is a habitat to unique vegetation species and it has about 1,000 waterfalls including Sipi, Sisiyi, Kagera and Bilitanyi Gorges falls, among others.

It is also home to different animal and bird species such as the endangered lammergeyer and colobus monkeys, among others. It also has one of the largest mountain caldera in the world.
Mr Nathan Mafabi, an area leader, on the other hand blamed local governments for failure to map and develop these tourism sites.
“The local governments should use part of their local revenue to develop tourism sites. For example, in Mbale, we have sites that have remained undeveloped since time immemorial,” Mr Mafabi said.
Mr Mafabi said the city leadership also needs to do a census on the number of hotels and the beds to know the exact number of tourists the city can house for planning purposes.

The Mbale City mayor, Mr Cassim Namugali, while addressing journalists on Wednesday at UWA offices in Mbale ahead of Explore Elgon Christmas Tour campaign, which is scheduled to take place this month starting from December 20 to 23, said the city leadership is committed to promoting tourism.
Mr Namugali said the upcoming tourism event is part of the efforts to strengthen synergies, networks and diversity to maximise the tourism potential in the region.
“We believe this will lead to development of foreign, national, regional and domestic connectivity, which will in the long run attract large numbers of tourists,” he said.
Mr Namugali explained that during the event, other activities will include the launch of the Elgon trail guide book, unveiling of tourism products and also Wanale challenge.

“The team will also travel to Sipi Falls for a nature experience and also visit Semei Kakungulu Heritage and Mt Elgon Culture and History Museum, among other sites,” he said.
Other tourist attractions in the region include Imbalu (circumcision) ceremony and bull fighting in Bududa District.
Mr Fredrick Kizza, the chief warden of Mt Elgon Park, said there is a need to increase the number of tourists to about 30 percent in order to boost social economic development.
“Tourists should know that tourism is not only about national parks but many other things including restaurants with local delicacies such as malewa, coffee, imbalu dance and also the vibrant cultures of the local communities,” he said.

Mr James Okware, the senior warden in-charge of Pian, Upe, Matheniko and Bokora game reserves, said the exploration will highlight challenges they face such   insecurity in the area and bad roads.
Mr James Kutosi, the public relation officer of Mbale City, said they have started works of renovating Mbale Municipal Stadium as a way of promoting sports as tourism products in Bugisu Sub-region.
“We will do repairs on pavilions, reconnect electricity, fix the water systems, dressing rooms and latrines, among others,” he said.