Entrepreneurs and service providers in Mbale City have been urged to position themselves to benefit from increased business expected during this year’s World Tourism Day celebrations. The celebrations will be held on September 26 and 27 at Mbale Secondary School grounds, with the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities expecting at least 500 visitors from Kampala.
Joseph Sebunya, a Tourism Development Officer at the ministry, said hosting the celebrations in Mbale is intended to promote the city’s largely untapped tourism potential and expose local attractions and tourism products to a wider market.
He urged residents, tourism operators and businesses offering tourism-related products and services to use the event to attract visitors and increase their earnings. Sebunya was speaking to the media on Tuesday ahead of the celebrations. He said the expected influx of visitors presents an opportunity for hotels, restaurants, shops, transport operators and other service providers to benefit from increased demand.
Mbale City Mayor Joyce Kidulu Matuka said the city is ready to host the celebrations, describing them as an opportunity to promote the tourism potential of the region. “We are very ready to host the event. It is an opportunity to show what we have as a region and what God has given us,” Matuka said.
She urged tourism stakeholders to sustain efforts beyond the celebrations, saying the event should provide a foundation for long-term tourism development in Mbale and the surrounding areas.
The festivities will begin on September 26 with community sports, exhibitions and regional showcase events before the main celebrations on September 27. President Yoweri Museveni is expected to attend the main ceremony as Chief Guest of Honour.
Mbale Resident City Commissioner George William Wopuwa has also urged hotel managers and business owners to strengthen security measures ahead of the celebrations. He said a safe environment will be essential to protect both residents and visitors during the two-day event-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
