The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) leader and former presidential candidate Joseph Kabuleta has suggested that Uganda needs more than one international airport to promote tourism, saying that this can be another big thing to boost the country’s economy.
Speaking to the Nile Post shortly after a news conference in Kampala, Kabuleta said it is high time for the government to pay attention in promoting tourism, saying Uganda is rich in many things but the government has never considered improving the tourism sector.
“Tourists don’t want to come to Entebbe and spend the whole day to see a crater lake in Fort portal. That is why we need more than international airports. When I become president, the next international airport is going to be in Kasese because there are a lot of tourist attractions there, people don’t want to come because they don’t want to travel by road, “he said.
Kabuleta said that Tanzania made an airfield in Kilimanjaro to ease transport and manage time hence generating billions, adding that Mountain Rwenzori could generate more money if Uganda promoted Tourism and put-up better infrastructure.
“There is no place which has very many crater lakes like a small area in Tooro. It is so rich in so many things., There is the issue of climate. Master Card did a survey on the main things that make tourists go to a country, number was weather, “he said.
He claimed that tourism is one thing this government is not going to promote because they have no control over tourism money.
Sylvia kihunde, an activist told the Nile Post that there is lack of infrastructure, lack of government support in Tooro sub region, adding that the area is gifted with good soils, good climatic conditions, the best tourist sites but the government with its tactics and policies, the region is stinking of poverty.
“Big hotels in Fort Portal are hiring top managers from Kenya. This is a disservice to the people of Tooro because they won’t benefit from the city the government gave them. Tooro used to have an Air field but now it is dis-functional and used as barracks, “said Kihunde.