Recreation facilities in Entebbe Municipality- Uganda

The term recreation is derived from the Latin recreare meaning to restore or refresh - it refers to refreshment of the strength and spirits after work (Mieczkowski, 1990). This  idea is that of ‘recreating’ human physical and mental resources depleted by working activity; it is a renewal of body, mind and spirit in order to prepare the individual for better performance of work.  Following a number of tourism recreation facility potentials both natural and artificial (man-made facilities), Uganda is a promising tourism destination due to the various measures put to conserve and preserve the environment that is to say the education of communities towards the benefits that may arise from tourism development thus leading to the development of tourism as a big sector/ industry in Uganda.

 Recreation facilities have greatly contributed to the development of tourism for they attract a big number of tourists because recreation enriches every ones live, strengthens family ties and friendship due to the services provided for example rest& relaxation parlors, entertainment, food& beverage services among others.

However, recreational facilities of Uganda are associated with a number of challenges due to their inadequacy which makes the available facilities to be degraded and overcrowded thus making them to outlive their useful life and beyond repair and this results into adverse impacts on natural resources and the level of service visitors come to expect (United States, Corps of Engineers, army (1972:98). Previous studies have examined the contribution of tourism in Uganda’s economy but not singling out the contribution of recreation facilities to the economy. Furthermore, national statistics state the percentage contribution of tourism to the GDP of the country but not again giving specifics of recreation facilities and therefore the need to carry out this research to find out whether recreation facilities only contribute monetary benefits as the statistics show and if there is need to develop them further for more outstanding contribution to the economy.

Entebbe Municipality is one of Uganda’s most attracting areas in terms of recreation facilities and the activities offered at these recreational facilities. Year round Entebbe is a holiday town with sunshine and rain, entertainment and culture and so many more fun experiences. Entebbe offers the opportunities of a big city including Casinos, Township tours, Shopping, Sporting activities, birding, city walks and among others while retaining the convenience and charm of a small town. Entebbe is known for a number of sandy beaches, Parks, Wildlife Education Center, botanical gardens and among other recreational facilities which leads and contributes to tourism development of Uganda.However, the Uganda’s tourism industry has faced a number of challenges and one of them being inadequate recreation facilities thus making them congested   and less satisfaction is derived by the tourists from the services provided by the available facilities.       

Recreation, according to Kraus (1966), consists of an activity or experience, usually chosen voluntarily by the participant, either because of the immediate satisfaction to be derived from it, or because he perceives some personal or social values to be achieved by it. It is carried on in leisure time, and has no work connotations, such as study for promotion in a job. It is usually enjoyable and when it is carried on as part of organized or community services, it is to meet constructive and socially worthwhile goals of the individual participant, the group and society at large.

Pigram and Jenkins (2006) note that recreation is generally marked by voluntary, discretionary behavior. People choose to take part or not, and decide the location, timing, activities and costs to be incurred. Any of these attributes can be modified or dispensed with by unforeseen or uncontrollable factors. Moreover, the process of choice is imperceptibly influenced by such factors as family relationships and personal characteristics, and pervasive adjustments to changes in income, education, lifestyle, social mores, traditions and culture. Against such a background of change, planners seeking to cater for outdoor recreation demands must somehow anticipate a future influenced by a bewildering set of forces, many of which are difficult to predict. Given this uncertainty, planning initiatives become even more important to help underpin forms and patterns of outdoor recreation resilient and flexible enough to respond readily to environmental changes.

Recreation activities covers broadly any pursuit taken up during leisure time other than those to which people have a high commitment (overtime, second job, home study and various maintenance jobs around the house). Tribe (2005) adds that recreational pursuits include home-based activities such as reading and watching television, and those outside the home including sports, theatre, cinema and tourism