UWA reduces entrance fees for tourist sites during festive season

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has cut prices for accessing tourist sites in an effort to attract more visitors during the festive season.

“As Uganda continues to manage the impacts of COVID19 and welcome visitors to the various destinations around the country, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is pleased to inform the general public that it will be running a festive season price discount,” reads a statement from the office of the executive director of UWA.

According to the statement, the offer will run from December 1 to March 31, 2021.

UWA has introduced a 50% discount on entrance fees for Lake Mburo NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Kidepo Valley NP, Murchison Falls NP, Semuliki NP, Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Katonga Wildlife Reserve, Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve and Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.

The Authority has also rolled out a 50% discount on birding fees and reduced gorilla and chimpanzee tracking fees for all visitor categories.

For instance, East African Community citizen gorilla tracking permits have been reduced from Shs250,000 to Shs150,000, while foreign resident gorilla tracking permits were slashed from US$600 to $300.

Foreign non-resident gorilla tracking permits were reduced from USD700 to USD400, while East African Community resident chimpanzee tracking permits are now at Shs100,000 having been reduced from Shs150,000.

Foreign resident chimpanzee tracking permits have been reduced from USD150 to USD100, while foreign non-resident chimpanzee tracking permits have been reduced from USD200 to USD150.

“The reduction on gorilla and chimp fees will only apply to new purchases between 1st December 2020 and 31st March 2021 and not on reschedules of already deposited on permits or purchases using credit letters,” the Authority said.

Uganda earned about Shs5.8 trillion from tourism in the 2018/2019 financial year, making the sector the country's leading foreign currency earner for the fifth year in a row, according to government data.

The number of tourists in 2019 reached 1,505,669 up from 1,402,409 in 2017.

In the FY2018/19, the tourism sector accounted for 7.7 percent of the national GDP and 6.7 percent of total national employment after creating 667,600 jobs.