Madrid, Spain | AFP | The number of international tourist arrivals could plunge by 60 to 80 percent in 2020 owing to the coronavirus, the World Tourism Organization said Thursday, revising its previous forecast sharply lower. Widespread travel restrictions and the closure of airports and national borders to curb the spread …
Read More »If we cannot do tourism for now, let’s at least talk about it
Despite the challenges the industry faces now, it’s upon the players and stakeholders in the sector to keep reminding themselves of what the tourism sector is and has been for many years COMMENT | Lilly Ajarova | In my opening address at this year’s 5th Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) …
Read More »Recovery strategy for tourism
What the sector requires to manage blow from coronavirus | ISSAHAKU ADAM AND ALBERT N. KIMBU | Tourism has become an important economic sector for most African countries in the last two decades. There has been increased investments in product development and enhancement, aggressive marketing, coupled with appropriate business-friendly socio-political …
Read More »COVID-19 to cause slash in foreign investment for exploration activities – Report
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Countries that have been receiving money in the form of investment in exploration activities – search for minerals – like Uganda will see this dry up as companies cut their spending due to the impact of the coronavirus . This is according to the World …
Read More »Tourism earnings drop by half – Minister Bahati
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of State for Planning David Bahati says the country’s tourism sector earnings will drop to US Dollars 700 million in the current financial year 2019/2020. Bahari says the drop will be 39 percent compared to the previous financial year. Uganda’s Tourism sector …
Read More »Coronavirus threatens nearly 20 million African jobs: study
Addis Abeba, Ethiopia | AFP | Millions of lost jobs, mounting debt woes and plunging remittances are among the economic hardships African countries can expect because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the African Union said in a study published Monday. “Nearly 20 million jobs, both in the formal and informal sectors, are threatened with destruction on …
Read More »International tourism to plunge up to 30% due to virus: UN
Madrid, Spain | AFP | International travel will likely fall by 20-30 percent in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, putting millions of jobs in the global tourism sector at risk, the World Tourism Organization said Friday. This revises sharply lower a forecast made on March 6 of a …
Read More »Tourism paying price for coronavirus outbreak
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | When China finally publicly admitted that what was killing people in the city of Wuhan was coronavirus, no Ugandan would even remotely think its effects would reverberate as far as far as Kanungu, Nwoya, Kaabong, Kisoro or Rubirizi districts. The five districts have one …
Read More »Hotels, tour operators register surge in booking cancellations
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The tourism and hospitality industry in Uganda is dealing with the worst surge in cancellation of bookings as the global coronavirus outbreak takes a toll on businesses. Jean Byamugisha, the Uganda Hotel Owners Association chairperson, said many people who were scheduled to travel to Uganda …
Read More »Author petitions registrar over delayed judgment in NDP II copyright case
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | An Author Edward Mashate has petitioned the Registrar in Charge of the Commercial Division of High Court seeking judgement in a case filed against the government for infringing on his copyright. Mashate dragged the government to court seeking compensation for damages and costs for allegedly …
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