GLOBAL COMMUNITY WELCOMED TO EAST AFRICA
"A Secure and Safe Destination of Wonders and Opportunities"
Uganda’s Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Hon. Maria
Mutagamba today invited the global community to East Africa declaring it
“a secure and safe destination of wonders and oportunities". She said
this during the EAC Joint Event at the Internationale
Tourismus-Börse Berlin (ITB) in Berlin, Germany.
As
the East African region operationalizes the Common Market Protocol to
better facilitate the free movement of people, skills, goods and
services, Hon. Mutagamba noted the
protocol marks a milestone that will enhance the hospitality and travel
industry.
“One
great milestone that will enhance trade and movement of goods and
services especially favoured in the hospitality and travel industry is
the removal of non-tariff barriers
and enhancing a free trade area”, she said. “Furthermore, the East
African region seeks to introduce a single tourist visa and a single
currency under a monetary union,” she added.
Hon.
Mutagamba affirmed that the region was working towards harmornizing
hospitality services and policies, aimed at better cooperation and
sustainable utilization of the
region’s resources.
“Harmonisation
of hospitality services includes a focus on quality and not quantity,
whereas, the harmonization of policies and laws will develop mechanisms
on the movement
of people and skills in the vibrant industry to ensure that the
standards of quality in hospitality are met and the promotion of a
Single Tourist Destination is achieved” she said.
With
regard to safety and security in the region and taking note of the
recent terrorist attacks in parts of the Community, Hon Mutagamba
assured the world that Ministers
responsible for tourism in East Africa have agreed that Partner States
should fully address the negative image portrayed and subsequent
negative travel advisories issued.
“We
will employ a positive outlook on the regional approach taken to combat
these challenges about the East African tourism destinations.
'The
Tourism Trade Associations are urged to ensure continuous dialogue with
all Commonwealth member countires and to advice Commonwealth member
countires to notify the EAC
Secretariat before publishing any travel warnings,” she reiterated.
In
her remarks, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and
Social Sectors, Hon. Jesca Eriyo highlighted some key milestones and
developments in the Tourism and
Wildlife sectors in the last few years. “These achievements are for you
to grasp the opportunities and tasks that lie ahead of us which are
being explored and implemented in order to sustainably utilize our
resources as a region,” she said.
Hon.
Eriyo highlighted that the East African region is endowed with a lion's
share of the new 7 Wonders of Africa. Among the wonders; East Africa is
home to: (i) Mount Kilimanjaro
the highest mountain in Africa with 5895 metres above sea level and the
largest free standing mountain in the world; (ii) the Serengeti
Migration, the longest and largest overland migration in the world.
The
Serengeti spans over 18,640 square miles; (iii)
the Nile River is the longest river in the world stretching 4,132 miles
(6,650 km) which traverses across a number of countries has its source
in the Region; (iv) lastly, the region boasts the largest unbroken
caldera in the world, the Ngorongoro Crater. Measuring
12 miles across, this "Garden of Eden" is home to over 30,000 animals
including the rare black rhino.
“Furthermore,
the EAC region is home to rare and endemic species of primates,
climbing lions and more. In addition, Mt. Kenya, Mt Ruwenzori with snow
on their peaks and beautiful
ranges, crater lakes and natural hot springs. It is no wonder, that the
people of the Community are vibrant, enthusiastic and happy when
surrounded by all this beauty!” she concluded.
The
EAC Joint Event, this year hosted by Uganda, aimed at bringing the EAC
Partner States together to further spearhead the EAC regional agenda.
The event was attended by
Hon. Victoire Ndikumana, Minister, Ministry of Trade, Industry, Posts
and Tourism, Republic of Burundi; Permanent Secretaries of Natural
Resources, Tourism and Wildlife from the EAC Partner States, Ambassadors
of East African Missions in Germany, Heads of
Tourism Boards from the EAC Partner States among other invited guests.
The
EAC Council of Ministers in 2006 directed the EAC Secretariat to
promote the region as a single destination by participating in
international tourisim trade fairs. To
the end the EAC Secretariat has been organising such joint events at
World Travel Market (WTM) in London and Internationale Tourismus-Börse
Berlin (ITB) in Berlin since 2007.
