ECOTOURISM IN UGANDA
Ecotourism is a new phenomenon in the world as it in Uganda dates back to the 1990s. It involves such activities as Nature guided Walks, Bird Watching, Village/community Walks, forest walks, butterfly watching, sport fishing, mountaineering/hill-climbing, Gorilla tracking, Chimp tracking, game viewing, boat cruises, canoeing, caving, scenery viewing/nature photography, primate watching/walks, and any other aspects that relate to Natural, Cultural and Rural tourism. The ecotourism destinations in Uganda include all the ten national parks, wildlife and game reserves, forest reserves, events/cultural centers, community wetlands, Theme parks, resorts, and important bird areas.
Uganda Ecotourism benefits
The benefits of ecotourism are divided into three; i.e. environmental, economic, and socio-cultural benefits. The following represents the general benefits of ecotourism to the communities and the host governments.
Preserves the natural resource by undertaking environmentally friendly activities
Employment opportunities for the local people working as guides, staff in parks and other establishments adjacent to the resource Increased household income from the sale of handicrafts and other food items
Enhances awareness, improvement of the social infrastructure like schools, libraries, health care Institutions through involving the local people in participatory planning programs and channeling tourism income to community projects
Improvement in local community access hence reducing the feeling of solitude among the local people. There will be the development of pride, appreciation, understanding, and respect for each other’s culture, increasing the self-esteem of hosts and tourists, and the preservation of local traditions.
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
COBATI INITIATIVE
As a homestead guest, you participate in the activities of the host family and they become your guide during your stay. They will accompany you in your explorations and treat you as if you lived in the village and were not a guest. Guests are also provided meals “local style,” meaning meals that the everyday villager eats.
BIGODI INITIATIVE
KAFRED was formed in
Bigodi in 1992. The group is an official Community Based Organization
(CBO) in Uganda. Its purpose is to protect the local environment while
advancing health, education, and economic growth in the wider local
community. The group’s emblem is the great blue turaco, a majestic bird
found
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VOLUNTEERISM IN UGANDA
Volunteer
travel participants share a common desire to “give back to the
world”. This could be in terms of doing something beneficial to the world
as a whole, to a non-profit motivated organization, to a particular community,
or the natural environment whilst experiencing new places, having fun, and
promoting sustainable
AKATEGYENDA INITIATIVE
Akatagyenda was established as an umbrella organization representing communities in destination areas of S.Western Uganda to understand the importance of traveling leading to tourism as a business, which Akatagyenda believes, is among the best sectors to help communities get out of poverty.
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