Who is the Boss? Uganda Tour Operators Association or The Tourism Ministry

On this page we give you some of the key organizations that you might be accountable to. You will need to find out how to work with these three government bodies before you start your Uganda Tourism Business.

• Ministry of Tourism,
• The Uganda Tourist board,and
• The Uganda Wildlife Authority

You will also find information about some of the private sector lead Tourism regulator bodies which you will have to register with as you start your Uganda tour operators business.

Use this information to determine where you should start from when you finaly make your African Business Trip to undertake due deligence work on your business.

We have also included some information about several Uganda tourism Businesses with whom you can network in order to sustain your business.

Including:

• Uganda Hotels and Apartments
• Uganda Art and Craft Shops
• Airlines Operating in Uganda
• Uganda Tour Operators
• Uganda Travel Agents
• Car hire Service Providers
• Events Managers

Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry

Uganda Wildlife Authority

• To conserve the wildlife and other resources of natural scenic and scientific value in those areas within its jurisdiction.
• To ensure that the integrity of such areas is properly maintained.
• To identify areas which should be designated and gazetted as protected areas so as to ensure adequate protection of Uganda’s major eco-system, nature habitat and biodiversity.
• Explore the possibilities of increasing benefits to local communities living within or adjacent to protected areas.
• To exploit wildlife potentials to generate revenue for individuals and government.

Follow this link for more information about the Uganda Wildlife Authority and its functions.

Uganda Tourist Board

The Uganda Tourist Association (UTA)

The Uganda Tourist Association (UTA)

The Uganda Tourist Association is the Top Most body of tourist trade associations within the Uganda private sector.

The Uganda Association exists to bring together, establish and maintain a forum for Tourist Trade associations in Uganda.

The main objective of the Uganda Tourist Association is to coordinate private sector activities, act as the industry spokesman and therefore link the Tourism Trade private sector and the Uganda Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry.

The Members of UTA include:

• Uganda Association of Tourism Training Institutions (UATTI)
• Board of Airline Representatives (BAR)
• Hotel and Catering Association of Uganda (HCAU)
• Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO)
• The Uganda Association of Travel Agents (TUGATA)
• Uganda Association of Air Operators
• Uganda Safari Guide Associations
• Community Based Tourism

Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO)

• Special interest safaris
• Air safaris
• Incentive travel group safaris
• Custom safaris for individual travelers
• Camping safaris (luxury & budget)

Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) Mission

• To uphold the good reputation of Uganda as a tourist destination by ensuring that the Uganda Tour Operators maintain the highest standards of service and value;
• To give agents and individual clients alike the confidence of knowing that Uganda has mechanism designed to consider the possible redress of any wrongs which a client may have suffered;
• To recommend certain standards which the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife might consider in determining whether or not to grant or renew the licence of an operator;
• To provide a means for the Association's members to seek protection or redress in any dispute either with another member or a non-member of the Association;
• To endeavour to instill a spirit of unity and loyalty to each other amongst members of the Association.

Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) Members' Directory

Fellow Private Sector Players in the Tourism Sector

• Hotel and accommodation services: Currently 90% of all accommodation services in the country are owned by private investors.
• Tour and Travel Operators: There is currently over 140 tour and travel operators in the country, including international names such as AberCombie and Kent, Afritours and Travel and Volcanoes.
• Tourism Auxiliary Service Providers: This category includes producers of promotional materials for example

• Organizers of international and internal travel markets and trade fairs.
• Uganda Art and Craft shops have also sprung up, selling items from the various cultural groups of the country.
• Airlines and overland transport service providers.

Unique Regional Tour Operators

Important Uganda Tour Operators Business News

How the Global Economic recession has affected the Uganda Tourism Travel Industry

Tour operators warned as tourist numbers surge

Uganda Tour Operators have been warned against pricing outside the global market as the financial crisis hits. Geoffrey Baluku, a member of the Uganda Tourist Association, indicated that because of competition from neighbouring countries like Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda, and affordability levels, the operators should avoid at all cost the urge to charge fees that are higher than the global market price.

“With the deepening of the global financial crisis and economic slowdown, there is a rise of new challenges ranging from safari cancellations to soaring inflation,” Baluku said.

A total of 843,864 foreigners visited Uganda in 2008, representing a 32% increase over 2007.

“As a key contributor to Uganda’s GDP (gross domestic product), tourism accounted for 3.7% of the total GDP in 2008. Despite this increase, it is clear that Uganda’s tourism industry is facing difficult times as a result of the financial meltdown,” Baluku stressed.

He said the tourism industry was vulnerable to financial slowdowns with consumers spending less on travel products in the short-and-medium terms.

Baluku added that expenditure on accommodation and Gorilla permits had decreased drastically as visitors chose more affordable safari options.

“There was growing optimism that Uganda would soon achieve the million foreign visitor-mark by 2012.

“However, with the current global economic meltdown characterised by the upcoming tense elections in 2011, the effect on Uganda’s tourism industry is likely to be worse,” said Baluku, who is also the public relations officer of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators.

Baluku said the unstable fuel costs and fluctuating dollar rate meant that long-haul tourism was on the decline, particularly for middle income tourists, adding that this had already had an effect on Uganda’s tourism industry.

“As long-haul travel becomes increasingly unaffordable, the integration of the East African region is now paramount for the region to achieve its tourism targets.

“However, reasonable controls such as some degree of protection for the Ugandan tour operators should be taken into consideration as we go into the final stages of the re-integration.”

He noted that there was a drop in visitors from all major markets including the UK and the US.

By Paul Tentena, The New Vision.