Uganda's hidden tourism secrets unveiled on World Tourism Day

By Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome, eTN Correspondent, Uganda | Sep 27, 2013

There are rare occasions when one comes across a truly exceptional idea, initiative or voluntary undertaking, and when it touches on the very core of my professional interest, tourism, it can be sure to be showcased and given exposure, in local, regional and global fora. This I found of all days today, on World Tourism Day, and it gives me great pleasure to share my find with my readers, more so as I am shortly embarking on an extensive hiking trip to the very areas this book describes, the highlands around Kabale, Lake Bunyonyi – Africa's deepest lake – and the route via Muko and Ruhija to Kisoro and Nkuringo. Those adventures I will be sure to share here too but for now a bit of a teaser, a bit of an insight into a part of Uganda so far known to few others then 'Uganda specialists'. Enjoy!

Gorilla Highlands Interactive eBook: Among World's Best

A unique interactive book from a village in southwestern Uganda has recently received a World Summit Award (http://www.wsis-award.org/winner/gorilla-highlands-109520130906). Produced by a volunteer team of top notch experts on Lake Bunyonyi and around the world, Gorilla Highlands (https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/gorilla-highlands/id562572902) has been declared one of the best five global electronic products in the field of culture and tourism.

In addition to being incredibly multimedia-rich, with astonishing photography, helpful videos, an extensive audio phrasebook and more, the book distinguishes itself from the mainstream travel guides in three key areas:

AN UNPARALLELED RESOURCE

Initially imagined as a tool for promoting cultural tourism in southwestern Uganda, the book has grown in scope and ambition. Its Travel Guide chapter provides frequently updated tourist information and is full of suggestions and ideas aimed at helping visitors enjoy a more rewarding experience. The regional focus gives a more detailed picture, unavailable in other more general travel guides. Additionally, Gorilla Highlands includes a unique In-Depth Companion that in itself represents the most comprehensive book about the region ever published. For those travelers aiming for a more meaningful experience than simply following the conventional trails, Gorilla Highlands therefore represents a significant step forward.

A CULTURAL PROJECT

The Gorilla Highlands Interactive eBook is part of a wider initiative by Studio Edirisa, the multimedia social enterprise behind the project, to invigorate southwestern Uganda through active promotion of its cultural and historical heritage. Within this, there is special emphasis on the importance of developing cultural self-respect as a means of empowering Ugandans.

By purchasing Gorilla Highlands ($14.99 on Apple's iBookstore, available in 50 countries), you are acquiring a stake in a wider enterprise whose aims extend beyond the production of this book. Studio Edirisa has gathered together a team of professionals passionate about the region, who have links to its communities and offer expertise in various disciplines, so an archive of the region's political and cultural history is being collected. With time, this project will go ever deeper and be expanded to other parts of Uganda and East Africa, to reflect the fact that the complex blend of cultural and historical identities in the region runs across national borders.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TOURISM

Underpinning this project is a desire to remold the tourist experience to have more cultural resonance. Gorilla Highlands sees the people---not the world-famous mountain gorillas that it still devotes over 30 pages to---as the biggest attraction of southwestern Uganda. It guides a visitor towards an experience that is both respectful of local cultures and more profound because of that. A system of guided cultural trips called the Gorilla Highlands Trails (www.gorillahighlands.com/trails) has grown from the book project, and the vulnerable Batwa "Pygmies" communities (www.gorillahighlands.com/batwa) have been given special attention.

If you're planning on visiting the region, why not contribute to this effort? You can help expand this network and create new links between Uganda and the wider world, thus giving more than just cash to the local communities. It's also a great way of forging stronger connections with local people that will last long after you have returned home. If you are inspired by Gorilla Highlands to get involved, the project website (www.gorillahighlands.com) and the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/gorillahighlands) provide a platform from which you can jump in. Feel free to get in touch and say hello.

Gorilla Highlands is available on Apple's iBookstore and readable on iPads and soon Macs too. An extension to other platforms is planned for 2014

http://www.eturbonews.com/38341/uganda-s-hidden-tourism-secrets-unveiled-world-tourism-day

Fw: [AfricaWatch] Tanzania tourism partners rolls out global marketing strategy

 

Tanzania tourism partners rolls out global marketing strategy

Image via tanzaniatourismonline.net

BY APOLINARI TAIRO, ETN CORRESPONDENT, TANZANIA | SEP 25, 2013

Through private and public partnership initiatives, Tanzania tourism stakeholders have rolled out its International Tourism Marketing Strategy to the eyes of diplomats from key tourist markets which this country has been targeting.

During a morning gathering between a section of diplomats from key and leading tourist markets who are on duty of tour to Tanzania, the Tanzania Tourist Board and the Tanzania Confederation of Tourism rolled out the International Tourism Marketing Strategy, aimed to expose this African safari destination before its global tourist markets.

Standing as the first marketing tool designed jointly by private and public stakeholders involved in tourism, the International Tourism Marketing Strategy has attracted new tourist markets since the start of this year, Tanzania Tourist Board Managing Director Dr. Aloyce Nzuki told eTN.

Dr. Nzuki said the strategy, which is a document designed through views from private tourist stakeholders and the Tanzania government's tourism development and marketing institutions, has so far spearheaded the Tourist Board's e-marketing promotion and publicity campaigns.

During the brief morning gathering, diplomats, including ambassadors and charge de affaires accredited to Tanzania, were informed about the strategy achievements in marketing Tanzania's tourism and challenges ahead of its implementation.

On their side, the diplomats had expressed their commitment to support Tanzania on tourism promotion campaigns through various publicity initiatives.

Diplomats from Italy, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Canada, France, United Kingdom, and Turkey attended the gathering.

Through the International Tourism Marketing Strategy document launched November of last year, Tanzania had managed to attract new tourism markets including South Korea, China, and Turkey.

Turkey is a new and upcoming tourist market for Tanzania after opening its embassy in the capital city of Dar es Salaam a few years back as well as the introduction of Turkish Airlines to Tanzania.

Currently, Turkish Airlines operate 7, flights per week between Istanbul, Dar es Salaam, and Kilimanjaro in Northern Tanzania.

The 5-year plan of the strategy implementation focuses on twelve strategic goals aimed at raising Tanzania's current position in travel and tourism from the 90th position to the 75th position at the global level.

In market share, the strategy is also looking at increasing Tanzania's tourism in the next 5 years from the current 11 percent to at least 14 percent of the total number of tourist arrivals.

The other goal of the strategy during the period in bracket is to increase the market share of the Indian Ocean's Spice Island of Zanzibar from the current 26 percent to at least 30 percent of the total number of tourist arrivals to this island, to compete with the Seychelles and Mauritius from the above-mentioned source markets of Europe and the United States.

The strategy has targeted 4 European travel markets during the forthcoming 5 years, while emerging news markets of China, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, and the Gulf states are closely being researched for aggressive marketing.

With its international tourism marketing budget, the Tanzania Tourist Board is now looking at Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy as key and primary tourism source markets, while France, The Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and Spain are earmarked as 5 secondary existing mature source markets for tourism.

In addition, potential of the new growth source markets of China, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, and the Gulf States will be researched and monitored by tourist stakeholders identified by this tourism marketing strategy document.

http://www.eturbonews.com/38266/tanzania-tourism-partners-rolls-out-global-marketing-strategy

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