Ugandan MPs on study tour

Members of the Ugandan Parliament Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry are on a week-long working tour in Rwanda aimed at assessing and studying how Rwanda’s tourism industry is operating and to also adopt some lesson’s that the Ugandan tourism industry could use. The Ugandan Parliamentarians who are here on a countrywide tour that will see them visit Akagera National Park, Virunga National Park and Sabyinyo Mountain Lodge will also visit different resource development projects in the Country. The visiting lawmakers are also expected to explore the trade and manufacturing sector in the country with the aim of forging ways on how the two neighbouring countries can learn and cooperate on tourism issues. Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Silvestre Bahane Niyibizi, the chairperson of the Ugandan visiting committee, said that Rwanda has many lessons to offer to other regional partner States especially in the tourism industry. “Rwanda has arguably the most thriving tourism industry in East Africa and it is important for us to learn from this country how the industry is run, so that we can get some lessons,” said Niyibizi. He explained that Rwanda is Uganda’s number one trade and tourism partner, in this regard both countries have a lot in common especially the Mountain Gorillas. The Ugandan MPs, together with their Rwandan counterparts will also discuss free trade in the EAC, the Customs Union, environment conservation and the fate of endangered indigenous groups that inhabit high altitude forests along the Rwanda-Uganda border. Juvenal Nkusi who chairs the Trade, Commerce and Industry commission in the Rwanda Parliament said that the visit is one of many planned working visits by regional parliamentarians who are seeking to market the East African Community as one major trading bloc. “We are sure our Ugandan colleagues will learn a lot from Rwanda because we have a lot in store,” said Nkusi. Ends