While many people flock to Cairo for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), Uganda Tourism Board has gone further to use this as a platform for promoting her tourism products and services. ON 2nd July 2019, Uganda Tourism Board organized the “AFCON 2019 night on the Nile” in Cairo aimed at promoting Uganda tourism products to in Egypt and encourages increased Egyptian travelers to the Pearl of Africa. The Ugandan Embassy in Egypt worked together with Uganda Tourism Board (RDB) to make this night enjoyable and memorable. The come together party attracted over 200 outbound tours and travel operators in Egypt who joined a night cruise on River Nile, the world’s longest river. While on the cruise, Uganda Tourism Board showcased Uganda’s top tourist attractions including wildlife, culture, mountains, and people after which Uganda was dubbed the Pearl of Africa. Among the delegates that were on the night Nile cruise were official from Uganda Tourism Board, Aggrey Ashaba, the football club chairman, officials from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), businessmen from all over the world, member of Uganda and Egypt parliaments plus many journalists from various media houses especially from Uganda and Egypt.
Aims of Uganda tourism Night in Cairo
The tourism night was aimed at fostering Uganda tourism in Cairo and Egypt as a whole. Various Uganda tourism products were exhibited and introduced to Egyptian travel operators and travelers. These tourism products included the famous mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga gorilla national parks in southwestern Uganda., the snow-capped Rwenzori mountains, loving and hospitable people plus amazing wildlife in the open savannah park of Uganda. For the past years, Uganda has been on average receiving 3500 travelers from Egypt which number is hoped to increase with this new initiative.
Also, the tourism night was a platform for networking between Tourism operators in Uganda and those in Egypt. It was an opportunity for travel operators from Uganda and Egypt to share experiences and knowledge on how to promote tourism and increase the number of tourist arrivals to Uganda and Egypt. Travel operators promised to work together to promote joint Egypt and Uganda.
More so, the tourism night was meant to strengthen and push further the already existing tourism relations between Uganda and Egypt. For a long time now, Uganda and Egypt have shared long-standing relationships and the two countries have never been in a collision. Uganda and Egypt share River Nile which has its source in Uganda and one of the reasons why the country was dubbed the “Pearl of Africa’.
Which Uganda products are marketed in Cairo?
Like said already, the Uganda Tourism Board is showcasing various Uganda tourism products to the Egyptian market. Among these include:
Mountain gorillas
Inhabiting the jungle forests of Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National parks, mountain gorillas are major tourist attractions in Uganda. The pearl of Africa is home to over 600 mountain gorillas, which is half of the world’s surviving mountain gorillas. Also, Uganda offers travelers with affordable mountain gorilla tours to Bwindi forest at $600 for a gorilla permit compared to $1500 in neighboring Rwanda. Africa Adventure Safaris is your trusted travel operators in Uganda ready to serve you with tailor-made gorilla safari packages to Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga gorilla national parks at affordable rates.
Unique culture is another tourism product y should not miss out in Uganda. The pearl of Africa has over 54 tribes each with different culture, norms, and traditions. The heart welcoming Ugandans with wide smiles make your stay in the country safe and comfortable. Egyptians were urged to visit Uganda and enjoy the warm welcoming of Ugandans while enjoying Uganda’s traditions an cultures that have splendid for over 1000 years back.
What happened at the tourism night?
The night cruise was full of fun and excitement as traveler operators from Uganda and Egypt shared their experiences. Also, Uganda Tourism Board presented a painting of life-size mountain gorilla to the Ambassador of Uganda to Egypt. This will be placed at the Ugandan Embassy in Cairo as a reminder to Egyptian about the must-visit tourist attractions in Uganda. In the same way, Gamil Maha, a famous female artist from Egypt, made many paintings of Uganda’s attractions. Different stalls were put up on the ship to sell various tourism products, traditional and cultural merchandise of Uganda for the Egyptian to buy. Also, Uganda local cuisines were serviced at the cruise accompanied by cake cutting and merrymaking.
In general, the hosting of the African Cup of Nations in Cairo has come with great benefits to Uganda. The Uganda Tourism night in Cairo will with no doubt receive an increased number of Egyptian tourists who will improve the tourism industry in the pearl of Africa and also strengthening the ties between Uganda and Egypt.
