Uganda must focus on preserving the environment to maximize its earnings from the tourism industry.
According to Dr Akankwasah Barirega, Executive Director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), most of Africa’s tourism is nature-based, with its primary tourist markets being Europe and the U.S.
“They come here to enjoy the nature they do not have. The biggest factors are climate and biodiversity. That’s why we have national parks, wildlife reserves, central forest reserves, and water-based attractions like boat cruises. All of these are nature-based. In summary, for Uganda, if you remove the environment, tourism is automatically deleted. So, failed environmental protection equals failed tourism. The two are intertwined and interconnected,” says Dr. Barirega.
He further explains that Uganda’s leading attraction is wildlife, with 60% of tourism revenue currently generated from one species: gorillas. “Someone is paying $700 to watch a gorilla for one hour, and a gorilla group can be watched by up to eight people in a day. That’s the bulk of our revenue. But, of course, our sector is still growing.”
Dr. Barirega argues that the tourism sector holds far greater potential that Ugandans can harness. He points particularly to water bodies, describing them as among the most underdeveloped globally. He notes that some Ugandans even resist development along water bodies due to misconceptions.
“I’ve seen people questioning why Sudhir is in Kituburu and Munyonyo. It’s like an allergy—people think it’s abnormal or bad, which I believe stems from a lack of knowledge. Our water bodies are some of the most underutilized in the world. The result? Subsistence agriculture thrives along lake shores, leading to poor sanitation in our water bodies as runoff from agricultural farms flows into the lakes,” he explains.
He adds that this runoff causes eutrophication, where excess nutrients from plants lead to algae blooms, eventually killing water bodies like lakes.
“What’s the alternative? You have industries setting up near water bodies and discharging waste into them. If our lakes were surrounded by recreation resorts, who would discharge waste into a resort? Is there any beach you know that would pollute its own waters? The logic is simple: the water is their business’s lifeline. Nobody wants to kill their own business,” he says.
Dr. Barirega advocates for developing well-designed recreational facilities with integrated waste management systems along water bodies. Such development, he explains, would prevent agricultural runoff and industrial waste from polluting rivers and lakes.
He warns that Uganda’s undeveloped water bodies face high pollution levels, leading to environmental degradation. “Fast-tracking the development of green infrastructure along our water shores is crucial,” he stresses.
Drawing a comparison, he cites Europe’s Rhine River. “For those who have seen the Rhine, it runs through Europe with developments extending to the water level, including concrete river boundaries. Yet it is cleaner than the Nile, which flows through forests and agricultural fields. Why? Because no one destroys a resource of immediate value to them,” he observes. He highlights facilities like Protea Hotel in Entebbe as examples, noting that no business would allow waste to be discharged into its waterfront. “You would destroy their business. Tourism and the environment are deeply connected. You cannot have tourism without the environment,” he argues.
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