About Tourism

About Tourism

Tourism is a multi-dimensional activity, which touches many lives and different economic development as it interferes in a number of sectors leading to development. (Cooper et al. 1993). Tourism development however, refers to all the activities associated with providing facilities for tourists in destination. United Nations World Tourism Organization (2001) defines tourism as the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside of their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes. According to World Tourism Organization, tourism takes forms, inbound and out bound tourism which refer to non-residents travelling in a given country and residents travelling in another country respectively.         

Tourism has been in existence in the world since 1950, this was as a result of pressure increase around the world resulting from the growth of tourism demand. In the period 1950-90, the growth of international arrivals averaged to 7.2% per annum; where whilst in expenditure terms (excluding international transport) the annual average increase has been 12.3 % World Tourism Organization(WTO 1994), fueled by technology, affluence and supply response on part of the tourism sector towards industrialization and standardization of the delivery of tourism sector.

According to World Tourism Organization (1994) the development of tourism is influenced by the growth in demand for tourism and these determinants are both external to tourism and also influenced by the tourism sector itself. The external factors to tourism are general health of the economy, political influences and technology.WTO further states that tourism tends to follow general economic trends-growing or contracting with economic activity. The influences upon tourism development by World Tourism Organization are; socio-demographics especially the ageing population in the industrialized countries, electronic information/communication systems, a polarization between global players and niche business, constraints upon growth related to labor, capital and infrastructures ,and finally a more knowledgeable and demanding customers. Given the demand shift of tourists from traditional attractions like wild animals, landscape features to more sophisticated products and services, recreation facilities have emerged to meet this need.

Recreation facilities also play an important role in the development of tourism by giving rest and relaxation, F&B services, entertainment and among other services.Tourism recreation facilities are majorly divided into natural facilities where little of the attractions has been constructed by people, they include Lakes, Streams, Caves, Parks and among others and man-made facilities which are designated areas that facilitate a process, operation or course of activities and is conceived, planned and built by people to deliver a particular recreation product. Man-made recreation facilities take different forms that is to say outdoors and indoors where outdoors range from local play grounds and sports tennis to large water parks and sports stadiums and indoors range from bowling alleys or fitness centers or major resorts. The recreational facilities that this paper is to look at are owned mostly by the private investors/sector and have progressed for at least quite a number of years and therefore the need to examine their contribution towards the development of tourism in Uganda and particularly in Entebbe Municipality.

The growth of Tourism in Uganda 

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to and staying outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other professional purposes (WTO). These people are called visitors (which may be tourists or excursionists, residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which imply tourism expenditure. McIntosh et al. (1995:10) take a more systems- based approach when defining tourism as” the sum of phenomena and relationship arising from the interaction of tourists, business supplier, host governments and host communities in the process of attracting, and hosting these tourists and other visitors.”

Tourism in Uganda began in the 1950s, though significant growth was only registered between 1962 and 1971. 

During this period, the tourism industry experienced a 34% annual growth rate (Ministry of Tourism Wild life and Antiquities (MTWA), 1996).In 1970, the tourism industry was the Uganda’s third largest foreign exchange earner after coffee and cotton. However, due to political instabilities of 1971-1986, the industry declined by 13.8% annually. The decline was caused by the heavy poaching that took place in the conservation areas for wildlife which resulted into the extinction of some species of wildlife and other came to near extinction.