Marburg Scare affects Tourism sector

The local tourism sector is worried about an impending drop in revenue in the wake of adverse travel advisories to the region.

This follows the death of a Dutch tourist after an infection with the deadly Marburg virus after she visited the Maramagambo Python Cave, in Bushenyi district two weeks ago.

According to James Bahinguza, of the Uganda Tourism Board, the incident comes at a time when the country is still trying to position itself in the tourism market after the Common Wealth Heads of government summit last year.

Bahinguza, adds that this year the tourism board was looking at encouraging more investors particularly Ugandans, to invest in national parks and game reserves under hospitality.

Much of last year saw massive construction and refurbishment of hotels in the City and some parts of the countryside targeted at thousands of the CHOGM delegates.

The Uganda Tourism Board cites construction of decent cottages by investors within the National parks, a move the Wild Life Authority has reportedly seconded intended to offer proper accommodation to the otherwise increasing tourists.

In the new national budget, government has provided just an approximate of shs700m to the tourism sector down from shs1.2billion a head of the CHOGM last year.

Players in the tourism industry cite poor infrastructure ranging from bad road networks, energy and decent infrastructure into the areas such parks where at least 90% of wildlife and tourist interests lie.