A tourist takes a photo of a gorilla. The Tourism minister has said only registered local tour operators will be allowed to sell online gorilla permits.
Ms Mutagamba said: “Access (seeing & buying)
by the local tour operators, not only gives the local tour operators
better bargaining power to convince clients to book earlier, but it also
gives local tour operators the opportunity to promote and market other
national parks and attractions in Uganda.”
In an interview with the Daily Monitor,
Association of Association of Uganda Tour Operators (Auto)’s Operators (Auto)’s Secretary to the Board
Geoffrey Baluku explains: “Many companies from neighboring countries
were planning to purchase these gorilla permits, fly / charter tourists
into Entebbe connect them on domestic flights to Bwindi Forest or
Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks track the gorillas, and then fly back to
respective countries.”
This means the country would be losing revenue yet
by allowing tour operators to sell the gorilla permits, related
businesses along the value chain will benefit.
In his earlier explanation to this newspaper, UWA executive director Andrew Sseguya said: “The minister put a halt on the online gorilla tracking system but if you have a product you want to market globally, you increase chances of selling it with online marketing. Communication online would make our product more accessible to a bigger population.”
In his earlier explanation to this newspaper, UWA executive director Andrew Sseguya said: “The minister put a halt on the online gorilla tracking system but if you have a product you want to market globally, you increase chances of selling it with online marketing. Communication online would make our product more accessible to a bigger population.”
The main concern raised by Auto was that operators
from neighboring countries were eyeing Uganda’s gorilla permits to
sell as a tourist attraction with the rest of safari in their countries.
This would thus leave out other local parks such as Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Kibale national parks.
This would thus leave out other local parks such as Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Kibale national parks.
The tour operators
Auto is Uganda’s leading tourism trade association, with membership of over 150 companies offering special interest safaris, Air safaris, incentive travel group safaris, and Custom safaris for individual travelers, Camping safaris (luxury & budget).
Auto is Uganda’s leading tourism trade association, with membership of over 150 companies offering special interest safaris, Air safaris, incentive travel group safaris, and Custom safaris for individual travelers, Camping safaris (luxury & budget).
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