Wekesa, Kiwanda, Ajarova, nominated for this years Ekkula Tourism Awards

Founder and managing director of Great Lakes Safaris Limited Amos Wekesa  will come up against  Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) boss Lilly Ajarova and Hon Kiwanda Suubi in the Tourism Personality of the Year category of this year's Ekkula Tourism Awards.

The awards, now in their 5th edition were launched on Tuesday March 10, 2020 with the official release of this year's nominees at Talent Africa's head offices in Kololo.

Ekkula is a Ugandan word that can be loosely translated as "Treasure" and the awards seek to recognize and reward stakeholders in the tourism industry.

Speaking at the launch, the Ekkula Tourism Awards team leader, Bismark Amumpaire said that there nominees are identified after rigorous research to make sure that there efforts are worth being rewarded.

"Ekkula Tourism Awards is an annual activity that researches, nominates, exhibits, recognises and awards those that selflessly put Uganda’s tourism to admirable heights and these include both Ugandans and non-Ugandans," Amumpaire said.

Voting for the nominees started immediately after the launch through the official website www.ekkulatourismawards.org.

All votes account for 50% of total needed for a nominee to take home the award. The other 50% will be upon the verdict of the judges at the award night on Friday, March 27 2020.

Here's the full list of the nominees:

OFFICIAL CATEGORIES

MOST ACTIVE TOURISM CLUSTER

Busoga Tourism Cluster

Kigezi Tourism Cluster

Nothern Uganda Tourism Cluster

Buganda Tourism Cluster

BEST TOURISM PHOTO(GRAPHER) JOURNALIST

SEBUUMA IVAN

PETER HOGEL

MUGISHA MATHIAS

SSENYONYI DERRICK

EDGAR BATTE

BEST PRIVATE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTER

CAMP CROCS/UGANDA CROCS

KAVUMBA RECREATION CENTER

ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY

ELMARAT CROCODILE FARM

MOST USER FRIENDLY TOURISM ASSOCIATION

UGANDA SAFARI GUIDES ASSOCIATION (USAGA)

UGANDA HOTEL OWNERS ASSOCIATION (UHOA)

ASSOCIATION OF UGANDA TOUR OPERATORS (AUTO)

UGANDA COMMUNITY TOURISM ASSOCIATION (UCOTA)

THE UGANDA TRAVEL AGENTS ASSOCIATION (TUGATA)

EXCEPTIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTER

CHARLOTTE DIARY OF A MUZUNGU

JONATHAN BENNAH PAMELA AMIA

BALUKU GEOFFREY

SARAH KAGINGO

BALUKU GEOFFREY

BEST FOOD EVENT OF THE YEAR

EKYOTO FOOD FESTIVAL

ROLEX FESTIVAL

NSENE KU BEAT

VEGAN FESTIVAL

FISH FESTIVAL.

OVERALL BEST TOURISM EVENT

PEARL OF AFRICA TOURISM EXPO

ABRAYNZ FASHION SHOW

NYEGE NYEGE FESTIVAL

ROLEX FESTIVAL

FISH FESTIVAL

WORLD WILDLIFE DAY

WORLD TOURISM DAY

WORLD MUSEUM DAY

OUTSTANDING QUALITY FIRST FOODS RESTAURANT

KFC

JAVA HOUSE

CAFÉ JAVAS

FOOD HUB

REMARKABLE DIGITAL TRANSPORTER

UBER

BOLT

SAFE BODA

FINEST TRADITIONAL DANCE TROUPE

ROCKIES DANCE

CRANE PERFORMERS

KIKA DANCE TROUPE

NDERE TROUPE

BEST AIRLINE OF THE YEAR. (Economy Class)

EGYPTIAN AIR

Qatar Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines

TURKISH AIRLINES

UGANDA AIRLINES

BEST AIRLINE OF THE YEAR. (Business Class)

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Brussels Airlines

Emirates Airlines

Qatar Airlines

BEST STANDARD SERVICE HOTEL

SKYZ HOTEL NAGURU

SHERATON KAMPALA HOTEL

MBALE RESORT HOTEL.

SERENA-KIGO

BEST NEW ECO SAFARI LODGE

ADELE SAFARI LODGE- KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

GORILLA HEIGHTS-BWINDI

KIKORONGO SAFARI LODGE-QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

ACAKI SAFARI LODGE-KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK.

ELEPHANT HAB SAFARI LODGE-QUEEN ELIZABETH.

EXCEPTIONAL NEW HOTEL OF THE YEAR

LATITUDE 0 DEGREES HOTEL

HILTON-GARDEN INN

THE ATHENA HOTEL

HOTEL TRIANGLE

MYSTIL HOTEL

BEST SERVICE AND LUXURY BUSINESS HOTEL

LATITUDE 0 DEGREES HOTEL

BEST WESTERN PREMIER-GARDEN HOTEL. N

SERENA KAMPALA HOTEL.

SPEKE RESORT MUNYONYO (COMMON WEALTH)

OUTSTANDING TOUR GUIDES

To be nominated by the relevant tour guides Associations for Recognition

YOUNG TOURISM ACHIEVER

ENID MIREMBE (FOUNDER ROLEX FESTIVAL)

OWEN BIGOMBE (FOUNDER BAKIGA NATION)

RICKY RAPA THOMPSON (CO-FOUNDER SAFE BODA)

TINA KATUSHABE (FOUNDER CHANGE A LIFE BWINDI)

TOURISM PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

PEARL H. KAKOOZA

AMOS WEKESA

HON KIWANDA GODFREY

HON KAMUNTU EPHRAIM

AJAROVA LILLY

HON KIWANDA GODFREY

PEARL H. KAKOOZA

LIFETIME TOURISM ACHIEVER.

This is a unique personality whose lifetime achievements have stood the taste of time to impact lives emotionally, socially and economically in the tourism perspective. This one will be announced on the Awards Night of Friday 27th March 2020 At Sheraton Hotel.