The Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Tourism Board, Stephen Asiimwe has revealed that Uganda Local Government Association, is set to organize the first Coffee and Tourism Symposium slated to happen on December 6 at Golden Tulip Hotel, Kampala.
Under the theme, ‘Unlocking Uganda’s Coffee Tourism Potential’, Asiimwe said the exhibition will bring key stakeholders in the coffee and tourism sub-sectors to deliberate on how the gains and potential in can be achieved.
“Coffee and tourism are some of the biggest contributors to Uganda’s GDP. Where there is tourism attraction, coffee grows. It is from this that we have been motivated to organize this symposium,” he said.
Despite being a major coffee supplier on the world stage, Uganda’s coffee does not feature in the world’s 15 top value earning coffee exporting countries. At least 180 delegates and 20 exhibitors are expected at the inaugural event, including tour operators, coffee farmers, hoteliers and others involved in the hospitality and coffee industry.
Mr Asiimwe said, the symposium is bringing consumers to the farms and ensuring they have all amenities they need in terms of transport and on-farm experiences, “this will encourage incremental earnings as farmers, hospitality and tourism industries,” he added.
Uganda Tourism Board is a statutory organization established with a mandate reviewed in the Tourism Act of 2008. It’s to market Uganda internationally, promote quality assurance in tourist facilities through training, grading and classification.