Uganda and Malawi are both celebrating Tourism Month with a range of activities lined up for the rest of September.
On September 10, Uganda launched World Tourism Day (September 27) at Fairway Hotel in Kampala.
Minister of State for Tourism Martin Mugarra highlighted the important role that tourism plays in employment and community upliftment.
“Tourism employs 6% of the employable workforce in Uganda and 20% of the revenue generated from the national parks is given back to the communities.”
He recognised the success of the Explore Uganda destination marketing campaign, which encompasses various sub-campaigns focusing on specific regions of the country.
The country’s official World Tourism Day celebration will take place in Kasese, Western Region, followed by the #ExploreRwenzori campaign on September 28 and 29 when Ugandans will be given free access to national parks in the Rwenzori region.
Malawi has already hosted a number of events across the country to commemorate Tourism Month including the Cape Maclear Carnival, the Mulanje Cultural Festival, the Tourism Street Carnival, the Lake of Stars Music Festival and the Gwirize Cultural Experience. A media familiarisation trip is scheduled for September 9-18, showcasing the country’s Southern Region. The official World Tourism Day celebration will take place in Lilongwe on September 27.
The theme of this year’s UN World Tourism Day will be “Tourism and Peace”, recognising the role that tourism can play in peace-building efforts between countries.