Uganda Celebrates her Cultural Diversity to Spur Peace and Development

As the Search for Miss Tourism Uganda 2015/16 draws to a colourful conclusion on Friday August 28 at Kampala- Serena Hotel starting at 6.00pm

By Valerian Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

Only elephants wear ivory. These large animals are some of the attractions to Uganda

Come August 28, 2015 and all roads lead to Kampala Serena Hotel where Uganda will be celebrating her natural endowments, using the Miss Tourism Uganda 2015/16 contest under the theme: Celebrating Uganda’s Cultural Diversity.

Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Wildlife Authority have once again come together to set alight the country’s cultural diversity for purposes of attaining sustainable peace and development.

The Friday August 28 Grand finale is the climax of an action-packed search for the Miss Tourism Uganda ambassador that has spanned the whole country.

“We brought together 33 beauty queens from eleven ethnic groups in Uganda so that they use their beauty to promote tourism in their home areas and the world at large.

“This Miss Tourism Uganda is an initiative of the Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Minister,  Hon. Dr. Maria Mutagamba and has been on since 2013,” Nsubuga Ronnie one of the trainers told PNS.

On August 22, eleven contestants were eliminated leaving behind 22 beauty queens to tussle it out for the ultimate title of Miss Tourism Uganda 2015/16 and a car prize.

The Miss Tourism Uganda contest is an attempt at repositioning tourism to effectively contribute to the GDP, employment and the well being of local communities. The beauty queens are from Buganda, Busoga, Teso, Karamoja and the Eastern region. Others are from Bunyoro, Tooro, Kigezi, Ankole, West Nile and Northern region.

“We are reaching out to all cultures in Uganda and we want all of them to be well represented and showcased on the national and international scene.

“Besides the gifts, these beauty queens get to be tourism ambassadors with the aim of helping them use their beauty as a tool to promote tourism across the globe.”

Challenges afflicting the tourism industry include inadequate marketing, encroachment on protected areas and inadequate funding. Poaching is also a big menace to the sector. But most of these can be done away with once the local communities appreciate that they have a role to play in safeguarding the natural endowments in their localities and the country at large.

Because every Uganda’s region is a potential tourism destination, the Miss Tourism Uganda competition should be a family day marked by millions of Ugandans. The contest helps improve Uganda’s unique image, bring about peace and development and even reassure the world that Uganda is the best destination.