Uganda will showcase its rich cultural diversity consisting of about 50 ethnic clusters alongside the unmatched flora and fauna at the 39th World Congress of the Africa Travel Association (ATA) congress

Uganda will showcase its rich cultural diversity consisting of about 50 ethnic clusters alongside the unmatched flora and fauna at the 39th World Congress of the Africa Travel Association (ATA) congress.

President Yoweri Museveni will open the conference officially on Wednesday.

Referred to as the “Pearl of Africa” by war time British Prime minister Winston Churchill, Uganda is regarded as the only country in the region where a traveller does a 21-day safari and adventure with a different experience everyday from experiencing a different culture, seeing the source of the River Nile and water sports, big five safari, tracking the gorilla, urban tourism, city tours among others.

It is this that will be laid bare to close to 500 local and foreign delegates as global focus turns on Uganda once again as the country positions to completely turn the corner in growing the tourism industry which has emerged as the number one foreign exchange earner roping in more than $1b in 2013.

Both tourism revenue and arrivals (over 1 million in 2013) are set to rise as government begins to invest in marketing in a sector whose linkages have a huge trickle down impact on almost all segments of the economy from agriculture, transport, accommodation, fuel, tax revenue among others.

Top travel industry leaders will congregate and traverse the country’s diversity including American top media outlets like National Geographic, Voice of America and CBS some of who have already jetted in the country and are undertaking field excursions.

Sylvia Kalembe, senior marketing officer at Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) says delegates will also see what tourism money does in the everyday lives of the community through pro-poor projects.

“We want to reemphasize the fact that tourism is everybody’s business,” noted Kalembe.

UTB and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the ministry have also lined up a series of outdoor activities that the guests will relish including world famous sites like Murchison Falls where the River Nile is forced through a seven meter gap before thundering down 60 meters making it one of the most spectacular falls in the world.

Other activities are the world famous mountain gorillas of which Uganda hosts more than half the surviving world population, the Rwenzori, Africa’s third highest mountain ranges.

UTB chief Stephen Asiimwe said the seven day high level congress will open Uganda to more global visibility.

“We are going to tell the world that Uganda and Africa are the best places to visit,” noted Asiimwe.

ATA's signature event in Africa provides a networking, learning and agenda-shaping platform for the most diverse group of tourism industry stakeholders of any travel industry event on the continent. The 2013 edition was held in Cameroon.

Asiimwe said it is also a prime moment for investors to position to invest in the country’s diverse tourism sector.
There will be forums for investment and destination marketing.

A special session on Wednesday will focus on highlighting destination Uganda whereas Uganda Investment Authority will highlight the overall investment opportunities in the country.

The ATA congress addresses timely industry topics, offers a lineup of educational and professional development opportunities and showcases the host Destination’s newest products and services.

There will also be business-to-business and networking events, an African Bazaar at the Uganda Museum.