Tapping into the unsung potential of tourist attractions for development in selected municipalities in Uganda

Abstract

The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect the fragile ecosystems. The sector is the top exchange earner, employs a significant proportion of the workforce, especially the unskilled, and contributes to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage sites. Therefore, if not managed properly, which must be preceded by documentation, the TS could lead to the destruction of the very resources upon which it depends. The concept of sustainability has often been used to indicate the need to ensure that tourism is developed in such a way that it minimizes the negative impacts. Inspired by the government’s current drive to develop tourism cities, in this paper, we analyze the unsung/untouched paradise potential of tourist attractions (UPTA) in three purposively selected municipalities in Uganda. We use the concepts of attractions, activities and sustainability in a broader sense. The results are based on an extensive study of documents, unstructured interviews and observations. Our findings indicate that the three municipalities studied have a variety of UPTA that have potential to contribute to the social, economic, environmental and institutional essentials of sustainability. The UPTA also have a strong multiplier effect of creating jobs for marginalized groups and providing opportunities for designing inclusive institutions and policies. Such findings re-affirm that broadening the scope of sustainability and attractions beyond their physical references re-asserts the importance of UPTA amidst the current criticisms. This means increased livelihoods for not only the youth and women but also adults with high prospects to enhance household incomes. Furthermore, tapping into the UPTA contributes to revenue generation and foreign exchange earnings in the country.