In Uganda, the recovery of the tourism sector this summer was threatened by the new outbreak of Covid-19 cases in the country. Tourist agencies, which see that their reservations increase for the months of July and August, fear the same situation as last year, when the airports remained closed from March to October 2020.
In recent weeks, Samuel Walugembe has had to book hotels and entrances to the national park for his customers before and before. After a difficult tourist year, visitors return to Uganda and some activities are already sold out. For example, in Murchison Falls Park, my favorite cabin no longer takes reservations, indicating that tourists are back. When it comes to permission to see the gorillas, some areas are also full, so yes, visitors will return, he states.
The recovery is still fragile
New restrictions, including a ban on cross-district travel, have been announced ahead of the new wave of Covid-19 cases in the country. But vans from tourist agencies are still allowed to circulate. Innocent Manda, head of the Pearl Afric Tour, hopes the new measures will not scare its customers. Without these measures, I think customers should come. ”
The Covid-19 crisis hit the Innocent Manda agency hard last year. He now fears new difficult times this summer if the new wave of positive cases is not quickly taken under control. “It was a very difficult year. We had to send our employees home, and there were many cancellations, he says. Our last customers were in February, so we had no customers between February and October. The airports were closed, no one could come, so it was very complicated. “
Save the tourist season by respecting barrier gestures
In the office of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the organization responsible for national parks, a few tourist guides to reserve places for their customers will observe mountain gorillas, (one of the most popular tourist activities in the country). For Bashir Hangi, the agency’s communications manager, the tourist season can still be saved by respecting barrier gestures. “As long as we continue to respect social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, we will be fine. But I am afraid that this new wave will scare some tourists, that is what worries me, he said.
According to Bashir Hangi, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has so far recovered only 50% of its pre-Covid-19 revenue, jeopardizing the conservation of national parks.
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