Pope’s visit good for Uganda Tourism

Uganda is blessed to have been the first Africa country to host the Pope. In 1969 Pope Paul VI visted Uganda and was later followed by Pope John Paul who visited the country in 1993. According to the Catholic News Agency, Pope Francis has also declared his intentions to visit Uganda in November 2015. According to his statement Pope Francis said “ God willing, I will be in Africa in November. In the Central African Republic first and then in Uganda”. According to his plans, the trip je said will be “before the presidential transition in the central African Republic and Uganda later in November.

The Pope will be visiting Uganda on the invitation of President Yoweri Museven who invited him during his visit to the Vatican last year. If this is true, then Uganda will be the first country in Africa to be visited by the Pope three times.

If the Pope manages to visit Uganda, it will be good news for tourism in that He will be moving with a big group which will require accommodation and thus most lodges will benefit by providing meals and beds. Funds got from this will definitely help in providing money to pay for their employees bearing in mind that November is normally low season for tourism in Uganda and most lodges and Hotels are always empty.

It will definitely increase the inflow of foreign exchange in Uganda. Uganda as a country has been suffering from inflation and high exchange rate where as of today, the dollar is trading at Uganda Shillings three thousand which needs some intervention and hopefully the coming of the Pope and his group will result into foreign exchange inflow something that will have an impact on the exchange rate and terms of trade.

This third Pope’s visit will improve and expose Uganda as one of the most stable and potential tourism destination in Africa. Most Televisions will have their focus on Uganda and as such Uganda will have the exposure required to promote it as a tourism destination. Uganda has suffered so much due to its history characterised by bush wars, political instabilities but in the last thirty years, Uganda has heard some relative stability resulting into serious economic developments.

It is also believed that Popes group will have sometime to take some excursions in Uganda most especially the advance group. Tour Operators should therefore be in position to package excursions to Jinja, Kampala and other regions where these people can visit while in Uganda.

Its should be noted that Uganda is gifted by many tourism attractions such as the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga, The Longest river on planet earth which is The Nile, The longest mountain ranges in the Rwenzoris, Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Budungo Forest and so much more. Ugandans are also known to be very hospitable people and their cultures are very unique. If the Pope’s visit becomes successful, then most of these tourist attractions will be highlighted by media houses something that might lead to increase on the number of tourists coming to Uganda in the coming years after his visit.