The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has started a pitch through Hollywood power broker, Koshie Mills, aimed at promoting Uganda as a tourist destination to the rest of the world.
The two parties also launched a project dubbed Back To The Source aiming to craft itineraries that speak to the African American cultural and travel requirements.
This happened last week as the Tourism Body hosted Koshie Mills together with an entourage from Hollywood and USA
UTB’s marketing manager, Clare Mugabi claims that the initiative with Koshie will help Uganda meet the target of 4m tourists by 2020.
“We want to see more American, black Americans coming into Ugandan for tourism purposes, to enjoy the country and above all, invest in the country. Many of these people have a humanitarian heart and very good jobs,” Mugabi said.
“We want to work with these people to present to them the different tourism activities they can invest in,” she added.
According to the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics, Uganda received 1.8m tourists in 2018, up from 1.4m in 2017.
Uganda obtained $1.4b in 2017 through tourism revenue and the country is now convinced that Hollywood celebrities could play a very key role in promoting Uganda as a tourist destination.
“Koshie has been to Karamoja and was blown away by the experience she got there, so we are very hopeful that when she goes back she will want to invest in that community. We want to work with her and the different celebrities,” Mugabi said.
On her part, Koshie said that Uganda is a ‘paradise and feels like home.’ And will look for every opportunity and space to ‘shout out loud about the beauty of Uganda.”
UTB also intends to use Ugandan Hollywood movie star Ntare Mwine who was appointed the country’s tourism ambassador.
“Ntare is of Ugandan descent, he was appointed by the ministry of tourism as the cultural tourism ambassador in the North American market. He has a big following,” Mugabi said.
Uganda also recently hosted showbiz personalities Kim Kardashian and Kanye West who were wooed to promote Uganda as a tourist destination.
Meanwhile, neighbors, Rwanda have entered another deal with French soccer giants PSG to promote the country as a tourism destination. This is the second deal of such nature after another with Premier League team Arsenal.
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