A leading global trade association promoting travel and tourism to Africa, the Africa Travel Association (ATA), concluded a five-day final preparation of its weeklong congress slated to be hosted in Uganda from November 11 to 16.
Over the last five years Uganda’s tourism sector has received the least arrival of tourists annually in the East Africa Region (less than one million) compared to its neighbours Kenya and Tanzania and Rwanda each of which receives at least 2 million tourists. As a result, annual revenue realized from the sector has never crossed the sh1b mark, which would have otherwise earned it the first place as the country’s biggest revenue earner.
Following Africa Travel Associations choice of Uganda as the ideal host for its 39th Congress, the sector is optimistic for a breakthrough.
Susan Muhwezi, president of the Uganda Hotel Owners Association also president of ATA Ugandan Chapter explains that the event will be a significant step towards establishing Uganda’s presence in the North American market, which is one of the priority targets of Uganda Tourism Board.
ATA will fly in an international media team of 22 journalists especially the tourism and travel press who will be arriving weeks ahead of the congress.
According to CEO ATA, Edward Bergman, unlike other celebrated tourism honors which Uganda has earned in the recent past like lonely planet’s favourite tourism destination 2012, National Geographic’s top 20 global tourism destinations in the year 2013, the African Travel Association congress is one of a kind whose impact will be felt right away.
Aside from marketing Uganda through the International press, ATA will fly in a team of over 400 tourism business associates and expatriates, tourism ministers from across Africa for its congress-slated to be hosted in Munyonyo. This will give Uganda’s tourism investors, travel agents, hoteliers and safari companies a grand opportunity for mixing and mingling, with the associates and businessmen thus building networks and expanding their trade affiliations beyond limits.
