Partner States eye EAC as a Single Tourist Destination

 

Tourism Ministers within the East African Community (EAC) together with the EAC Secretariat have voiced their will to have the region as a Single Tourist Destination.

The development came out on Wednesday, at a joint event at this year’s World Travel Market (WTM) in London, the UK.

According to officials at the function, the move is in line with EAC’s broader plan for a Common Market Protocol to allow the free movement of people, skills, goods and services – all of which go hand in hand with the expected slashing of non-tariff barriers.

That whole package is expected to make the hospitality and travel industry’s environment much more conducive among EAC Member States.

“The tourism sector has also started harmonizing hospitality services policies and laws in the region in preparation for full cooperation and to sustainably utilize our resources as a region”, said Hon. Maria Mutagamba, Uganda’s Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, hastening to add that the focus would be on quality, not quantity.

Minister Mutagamba, who is also Chairperson of the EAC Sectoral Council on Tourism and Wildlife Management, also said that EAC has now grown into a secure, safe destination for business opportunities.

At this annual event being held in London, EAC is showcasing stuff in areas ranging from its achievements and the way forward, safety and security. The meeting is also looking into how to ingeniously turn the region into a single tourist destination.

EAC’s Tourism Ministers resolved to use a positive outlook on the regional strategy to face off security challenges about EAC’s tourism destinations and urge for the creation of Tourism Trade Associations to foster a continued dialogue with all Commonwealth member countries and to advise Commonwealth member countries to notify the EAC Secretariat before publishing any travel warnings.

Partner States eye EAC as a Single Tourist Destination