Tourists Plan Uganda Visits to view the Total hybrid Solar Eclipse

Uganda, come November 3 will be the world’s focus center as it experiences a total eclipse. Uganda lies on the path of a hybrid Solar Eclipse.

Pakwach in Nebbi district in West Nile has been identified as the best place to spot the eclipse alongside other towns like Arua, Soroti, Gulu and Masindi.

A total eclipse occurs when the dark silhouette of the moon completely obscures the intensely bright light of the sun, allowing the much fainter solar corona to be visible.

During the maximum phase of the eclipse, the sun’s disk is completely blocked. The sun’s faint corona is then safely revealed to the naked eye.

The unique occurrence, the MPs said, should be maximally utilized to market Uganda. “ In the whole world, this will be in Uganda alone. We expect more than 20,000 tourists. But if we don’t market it well, we may not get any benefits,” Bernard Atiku said.

Atiku complained that there’s general lack of awareness on this historical event and called on the Ministry of Tourism to even sensitize the locals.

Sources say, some tour operators have also written to the President requesting for high profile marketing and also resources.

Reports indicate that when the eclipse occurred in Queensland Australia, Nov.14, 2012 over 40,000 tourists visited the country. In June 2001, Zambia attracted 20,000 visitors and UK in 1999 attracted 400,000 visitors.

29 AUG 2013