Tourism State Minister launches the ‘Walk of love’ initiative to promote Uganda.

While launching the “Walk for Love” initiative campaign that will take place in 14 African countries and 20 cities, the State Minister for tourism Hon. Mugarra Martin appreciated Ugandans for embracing domestic tourism.

The Minister revealed that between the months of October, November and December 2021 over 80,000 Ugandans participated in domestic tourism  and the most visit destinations included  Lake Bunyonyi and the Uganda wildlife education center .

“In December alone, 41,000 people constituting  50% of Ugandans travelled across the parks generating a-lot of money to Hotel owners, food sellers and every one involving in tourism business” he added .

The “Walk for Love” initiative campaign that is organized  this February, will take place on Saturday 12th with participants walking a distance of 2km from Sheraton Hotel Kampala.

According to the managing director MICE Uganda Ms. Babra Vanhelleputte, this walk was spearheaded by a Pan-Africanist based in Nigeria with a sole aim of connecting Africa for Africans within Africa.

To Barbra, this project  aims to create awareness about the challenges facing travel and finding tangible solutions, promoting inclusion in Africa as a continent, promoting connectivity amongst Africans, promoting unity and love amongst people of Africa, promoting fitness and also creating Pan-African projects for travel and tourism and to them this is a move from the talk to practicing.

Jimmy Kigozi the principle Tourism officer in the Ministry of Tourism welcomed the initiative and assured that the Ministry is confident that it will lead to witness a recovery in the sector we are all yearning for.

According to Jimmy, the sector greatly faced challenges in the era of the Covid19 pandemic where the industry partners including tour companies that recorded a 9/10 cancellations in their orders, the Hotels that recorded losses mounting to $367million between March and August 2020 plus also the 7/10 personnel who lost their jobs and these innovative ways to reignite the sector will have their full support.

In her speech, the Marketing manager of Uganda Tourism Board Ms. Clare Mugabi unleashed their plans as the Board to convert over 80% of foreign arrivals into active tourists and she welcomed this initiative as it is a platform that will go along way to their objective.

Ms. Clare also noted that they have hired a destination representative within the African region tasked to further promote this country Uganda and they have also partnered with Uganda Airlines that has improved connectivity across the region as these measures will increase the number of tourists.

The 2km walk will see participants walking past some Tourism sights like the independence monument and it will be broadcasted live online.