COVID-19 impact on Uganda tourism

COVID-19 impact on Uganda tourism-Updates

Covid-19 impact on Uganda tourism. The President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ordered restrictions on movement of people, including use of public or private vehicles, motorcycles, and directed closure of all businesses including shopping malls, arcades, hardware shops, all non-food stores, saloons, lodges and garages to roll back the spread of COVID-19.

The immediate impact of the shutdown is on the survival of the country’s hardest-hit citizens whose livelihoods depend on what the president shut down to put food on their tables.

This outbreak has no cure and it has turned out to be a global pandemic claiming lots of lives. Covid-19 and its impact on Uganda is clearly visible and COVID-19 has had a major impact on the tourism of Uganda and more so on Gorilla tracking being the major tourist attraction in the country and all our National Parks are closed. More than 152 countries including Uganda put in place precautionary measures to be taken to avoid wide spread. The major ban being on people from countries with high numbers of infected people like China, Italy, United Kingdom, Iran, United States of America, Spain, German, France, Switzerland and North Korea.

With many emails, phone calls and messages coming through for either cancelling or postponing of their safaris, this has left the industry on life support and many risking running out of business with the government losing out a lot on revenue from the tourism industry.

All travel into the country in and out has been shut down meaning all safaris that where scheduled between this time have to be either cancelled or postponed to a later date and after the situation in Uganda and globally will be assessed to see if it’s safe for travel again.

International Passenger traffic in and out ceased

With confirmation of Corona virus in the country, there has been a ban placed on any visits to all the National Parks in the country to see the Gorillas, Golden monkeys and Chimpanzees among other wildlife to prevent any chances that the virus can be transmitted to them. Primates have a very close DNA to that of a Human being and as such they can contract some of the diseases prone to human being and being that COVID-19 is a flu and are some of the commonly diseases transmitted from humans to these primates so a total ban to visit the primates has been put in place to contain the situation.

As Great Adventure Safaris during the outbreak we encourage you to stay home and stay safe as this is the only way we will be able to end this outbreak and also put a stop on the spread of the virus.

For our clients who had booked safaris with us it’s sad you will not be able to travel for your safari as you had originally planned but Uganda Wildlife Authority has put in places measure to ensure that you do not lose out on your trip. Great Adventure Safaris advise you to postpone your safari to later dates when the situation has cleared, tour companies have been encouraged to keep clients credit for the safari until when it’s safe and they are ready to travel. And even then measures to safeguard both the clients and tour operators should be effected. Hand sanitizers in the vehicles and at the lodges, carry face masks until it’s approved that the outbreak is completely no more.

With Gorilla Permits Reschedule for those clients who booked safaris during the outbreak they will be able to do their trips when the outbreak ends and have a chance to reschedule the trip when its all clear and you can reschedule to as far as 2022. Before one could only reschedule once but with the uncertainty around the covid-19 pandemic you can reschedule the Gorilla permit twice. With the ban on travel in and out of the country we will be able to manage the outbreak and we will encourage anyone who exhibits signs of the virus to take a precautionary test to find out your status. With the outbreak in place and staying home take this opportunity to look at our safari packages and lookout for one that suits you and send through an https://www.greatadventuresafaris.com/contact-us/ for late 2020 or 2021, we are happy to work with you and we will manage these tough times together.

The Government has put up some precautionary measures for you to consider when planning traveling to Uganda after the travel ban is lifted.

Safe Travels in Future

Travel Recommendations to Uganda

The ministry and the country as whole advises all those from affected countries that have planned safaris now and in the upcoming days to either delay their travel or reschedule to a later date when the situation gets back to normal. We will keep your credit and services postponed to when the time becomes convenient to travel to Uganda again.

All tour operators, travel agencies, and accommodation facilities provide hand washing facilities with soap at their premises and on-board travel vehicles and vessels

Uganda is currently under lock-down and the situation will be assessed to see if it’s safe to travel again and once this is approved then new guide lines and measures will be released to let you know how the situation will be handled.

To improve preparedness as a sector, tour operators, agencies and accommodation facilities are encouraged to maintain a stock of recommended masks (N95) for their clients

All tour operators and travel agencies should encourage clients who intend to visit Uganda to carry own recommended masks.

All tour operators, travel agencies and accommodation facilities should educate their staff and clients (visitors) on preventive measures for the mitigation of contracting Covid-19

These measures include; avoiding handshakes and body-hugging, washing hands with disinfectants, regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces such as door handles

Our commitment is to keep both you and the country you are visiting safe and we will be able to work with you again once all reverts to normal. Stay safe and strong, we shall have good time in Uganda together again.

Global protocol for the new normal

WTTC alongside our Members, governments, health experts and other industry associations are working together to achieve effective recovery protocols by developing meaningful action plans that optimize sector-wide recovery efforts.

Parts of our protocols include providing the public & private sectors with the insights & toolkits for interaction & implementation to ensure that people are and feel safe. It is paramount to have common rules. Ultimately, we envision a future of travel which is safe, secure, seamless and provides an authentic and meaningful experience to the traveller across the journey; one which supports the livelihoods of millions and contributes to sustainable economic growth.Read more