In a provocative Twitter post, investor and corporate finance expert Alex Tremblay Ponton stirred the pot by questioning the uniqueness of Uganda’s tourism sector.
“There is nothing special about Ugandan tourism,” he stated, addressing his followers and potentially causing a few raised eyebrows among Ugandan tourism advocates.
While acknowledging his controversial stance, Ponton emphasized the need for Uganda to carve out a distinct niche in the global tourism market.
“If we want our tourism to succeed on the global stage, we need to focus on what is ‘truly special’ about our offering and niche down,” he wrote.
Ponton pointed to neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania as successful examples, highlighting their well-established tourism brands featuring the Masai Mara, the Serengeti, and the great migration.
Ponton also noted Rwanda’s effective branding around gorilla tourism. “Rwanda, on the other hand, is winning the gorilla war,” he remarked, indicating that Uganda’s efforts in competing with these established tourism brands might be misdirected given the country’s limited promotion budget.
Innovative Ideas for Ugandan Tourism
Ponton proposed several innovative ideas to reposition Uganda as a unique destination. His suggestions included:
Running Tourism: Leveraging Uganda’s reputation as the home of world-record holders and promoting Kapchorwa as the new “home of champions.” Ponton emphasized that running is a multi-billion dollar industry with passionate participants. “Runners are the best ambassadors because they are obsessed,” he noted.
Extreme Sports: Positioning Uganda as a hub for extreme sports events, such as a Red Bull white-water kayaking event. “I already see the footage going viral,” he envisioned.
Birding: Tapping into the lucrative bird-watching industry. “Birders are like runners; once the bug bites, they start spending thousands of dollars on equipment and trips,” Ponton observed.
Culture, Festivals, and Nightlife: Developing a vibrant festival circuit inspired by Nyege Nyege and promoting Uganda as the music capital of East Africa. Ponton suggested rolling out more cultural and music festivals to attract global attention.
Call for Strategic Promotion
Ponton acknowledged the steps already taken, such as the Rwenzori Marathon, but urged for more aggressive promotion. He proposed sponsoring running clubs in the US and Europe, creating dedicated social media accounts for trail running in Uganda, and collaborating with major influencers like Olympian Shalane Flanagan. “Give a free all-inclusive trip to Uganda to run the Rwenzori Marathon to your most dedicated runner,” he suggested as a way to generate global interest.
Ponton concluded his post with a call to action: “Let’s find niches where we can truly dominate and let’s push the envelope to win them. That’s how you become special.” His bold statements and creative suggestions have sparked discussions among tourism stakeholders, highlighting the need for strategic thinking and innovative approaches to elevate Uganda’s tourism industry on the global stage.
Some Ugandans on X agreed with Ponton with Muhereza Kyamutetera tweeting;
I agree to a large extent. What is missing is appropriate product development, positioning, differentiation and aggressive selling/marketing. Short of that, our tourism assets are just normal products like we have elsewhere; worse still very few people out there know about them.
Journalist Angello Izama tweeted;
Interesting ideas and the argument is solid. Uganda offers a lot but the storytelling and branding effort has traditionally been poor and this is not just about funding but organization. Our diversity is an untapped strength.
Couldn’t agree more. Telling people about the obvious (wild game, rivers, beautiful scenery) in our tourism industry doesn’t really cut it in such a competitive market. (Zambia has the “Swimming with Crocs” on the Zambezi). can’t build a business on “Sympathy” said Abdul Herbert Irumba, another X user who commented on the post.
Seasoned Tourism Investor and expert blamed Uganda for failing to market the destination which has one of the most diverse collection of flora and fauna in Africa.
“if you can’t sell the obvious, how can u claim to sell the complicated? Lets us agree, we don’t understand the consumers, we haven’t spoken about wildlife, our rivers enough to attract attention.” he wrote further thanking Ponton for starting the conversation
Thank you @ponton_alex for starting this debate I have pretty much discussed these ideas here and as a person, am practicing what I try to preach but efforts need critical a mass. Am just a private citizen playing my part hoping that would encourage more people do something.
Historically known for its stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife, Uganda’s tourism sector has long been a cornerstone of the country’s economy. Dubbed the “Pearl of Africa” by Winston Churchill, Uganda boasts breathtaking attractions such as the majestic Rwenzori Mountains, the vast expanse of Lake Victoria, and the renowned Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to nearly half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. Despite these natural treasures, the tourism industry faces challenges, including limited funding and global competition. In recent years, Uganda has seen a steady increase in tourist arrivals, with over 1.5 million visitors in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant downturn.
