The Tourism potentials in Nakasongola

Tourism in Uganda, a top African destination in the 1960s, has reawakened over the past decade.  In fact, international tourism arrivals more than quadrupled from 205,000 in 2001 to 945,000 in 2010.  As a result, the sector is already a major contributor to employment, revenue, and foreign exchange generation. Yet, Uganda still lags far behind its regional competitors in terms of tourism market share.   Furthermore, its growth in leisure tourist arrivals has been sluggish in the past several years. 

Tourism was a luxury until recently participation was restricted to a few selected who could afford both time and money to travel. Improvements in transportation the proliferation of accommodation and the growth of inclusive tours and other forms of relatively cheap vacation travel have further extended the opportunity to travel for pleasure. (Matheson and wall 1993)

Uganda is clearly not yet realizing its full potential as a tourism destination.  Its tremendous resource base allows it to offer a combination of safaris, primate tracking, adventure tourism, bird watching, and cultural tourism products.  Yet, the sector has been hampered by gaps in its policy framework, leadership, coordination, and funding.  As for the latter, the sector only receives 0.13% of the national budget while its total contribution to the country’s economy has been estimated at US$ 1.7 billion, or 9.0% of GDP.   

According to Holloway (1994), at the destination there is a mixture of interdependent elements. This is because in order to produce a satisfying vacation experience all elements must be present such as attractions which are the central aspect of tourism and can bring visitor to the area and facilities roads accommodation like hotels, hostels, inns.

According to Solomon,S. and George, K. (2012) they pointed out how marine tourism would be of great contribution to the tourism industry if well exploited and developed, further more noted that the government doesn’t seem to realize as much benefits from the marine resources as it would, no clear circuit has been drawn as they mentioned lakes like lake Albert,  waterfalls and lake Kyoga. Activities like sport fishing, bird watching, beach sports, marine tourism investments opportunities, so from the study much information will be added on their finding thus tourism develop in Nakasongola district.

Today tourism is no longer the prerogative of a few but is an accepted and accustomed even expected part of lifestyles of large and growing number of people (Matheson and wall 19930). This implies that the extensive and continuous exploitation of Uganda tourism potentials particularly Nakasongola will contribute a lot to the economic and social development as Matheson describes.

Since people in Nakasongola district lack a clear vision and understanding of what’s called a tourism business in their region thus the study emphasis is about analysis of the potential tourism products and the challenges for their development in Nakasongola district and away forward for future prospects to be in sighted in the minds of the people.

Since today tourism is accepted and part of a lifestyle to many individuals so much emphasis is needed for extensive exploitation of tourism potentials which are not yet developed and hence need to develop strategies for developing the tourism industry more likely in Nakasongola district where people are un aware of its existence for the better of the industry.

Tourism in Uganda, a top African destination in the 1960s, has reawakened over the past decade.  In fact, international tourism arrivals more than quadrupled from 205,000 in 2001 to 945,000 in 2010.  As a result, the sector is already a major contributor to employment, revenue, and foreign exchange generation.    Yet, Uganda still lags far behind its regional competitors in terms of tourism market share.   Furthermore, its growth in leisure tourist arrivals has been sluggish in the past several years. 

Uganda as pearl of Africa is ranked high and unique for its endowed with more tourists attractions which bring visitors from abroad for enjoyment .natural and manmade products like hills swamps birds wetlands mountains valleys animals water bodies cultural sites religious sites facilities and entertainment. Nakasongola as part of Uganda also takes the share in tourism attractions since they are spread country wide and it’s also gifted with much attractions like lake shores of Kyoga, variety of swampy areas, wetlands, forests, savannah vegetations, transport , accommodation, the bullet making industry known as Luweero industries and many others which can entice tourists to the area.

The fact that Nakasongola tourism attractions are not well exploited for tourism development attempts to identify them to attract tourists and planning for the way forward so research findings shouldn’t be ignored. The study therefore attempts to focus on the potentials and activities carried out at the landing site assessing the level of tourism development evaluating the challenges and future prospects of tourism development and suggesting possible measures for tourism development in the district.

Since Peter burns and Andrew Holden 1995. Our mission is to go where no man has gone before anything for anyone a place for everyone. Indeed try to reflect exploitation of virgin places for tourism but not yet founded. So Nakasongola district has such significances though not exploited so it’s better to copy up their ideas.