MBALE, October 31, 2023 – The newly crowned Miss Tourism Uganda has urged Ugandans and the government to preserve the country’s cultural heritage and promote domestic tourism.
Domestic tourism refers to the travel of individuals or groups within their own country for recreational, leisure, or business purposes.
Roukaya Nabukonde Kiyayi,19, who hails from Sironko district in Eastern Uganda said domestic tourism helps to drive conservation efforts as people learn about the value of tourist attractions like forests, wild animals, and birds, among others.
“By making more and more people aware of the beauty of our nature, and the need to save it from the threatening forces – especially human manageable forces, endangered species like animals and birds are conserved,” Nabukonde said recently during her courtesy visit to Mount. Elgon Hotel and Mbale Sports Club.
“Let us promote domestic tourism in the country. We should love our country instead of going to England, why not tour all parts of Uganda and see the beauty it has. I believe everything to do with tourism in Uganda starts with us [Ugandans]. Promoting domestic tourism should be key,” she said.
She called upon Ugandans to be good ambassadors of the tourism industry in the country, adding that domestic tourism can sell Uganda as a tourist destination.
Nabukonde who is also the Miss Tourism Eastern Uganda will represent Uganda in Malaysia in the Miss Tourism International beauty pageant. 50 contestants will vie for the top prize during an event to take place on November 25, 2023, in Malaysia.
Racheal Nasunga Kakungulu, Cluster Head Miss Tourism Eastern region, said Miss Tourism in Uganda is a promotion platform that empowers young women to promote tourism, environmental conservation and preserve their culture.
She added that: “Woking in partnership with various stakeholders and Uganda entities.”
Uthman Mugoya, Director Mount Elgon Hotel asked Nabukonde to promote tourism in the region.
He said there is a need to mobilise people to realise the value of domestic tourism in the region.
Mugoya who is also the President of Mbale Sports Club said domestic tourism contributes to national development by generating revenue.
He urged Nabukonde to be a good ambassador of tourism and market Uganda wherever she goes.
James Kutosi, the Spokesperson of Mbale City Council, said domestic tourism will improve the economy in the region if it’s well-marketed and promoted, urging tourism officers to start promoting the sector.
Some of the major tourist attractions in Eastern Uganda include Sipi Falls, Nyero Rock Paintings, and Mount Elgon National Park which has primates and a lot of birds.
To boot domestic tourism, there has been calls for the reduction of entry fees and transport costs to tourist attractions in order to improve demand for domestic tourism in Uganda.
There is also a need to intensify advertisement of the available domestic tourism opportunities to increase the knowledge and awareness of local destinations among potential tourists.
In May 2023, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities reported that Ugandans visiting the protected areas has increased to 839,000 up from 132,000, the ministry adding it was targeting 1 million local tourists to these places.
According to a recent report published by the World Travel and Tourism Council [WTTC], domestic tourism accounted for 73 percent of total Travel and Tourism spending globally in 2018; thus it is a key driver of the tourism sector.
“Countries can rely on domestic tourism as a tool to reduce poverty, improve infrastructure, generate employment and most importantly to drive economic growth.”
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