3rd Karamoja Tourism Coordination Platform

We are celebrating a milestone in the development of the Warrior Nomad Trail with a workshop attended by 35 key-tourism stakeholders from Uganda’s Karamoja region.

The meeting was aimed at fostering sustainable coordination of the regional tourism sector with the Warrior Nomad Trail at the centre.

The participants shared their input and ideas on the further development of the tourist trail and the sector at large. The formalisation of the regional tourism hospitality sector into one association was the most important action point and will be actioned upon during the next meeting in November.

Karamoja Tourism Coordination Platform

The third edition of the Karamoja Tourism Development Coordination Platform (KTDP) meeting, took place on 28th of July 2022 in Moroto. The purpose of the platform is to strengthen coordination, promotion, and preservation of tourism ecosystem services relevant for job skills creation while ensuring continuous benefits to locals and economies.

The initiative is spearheaded by Support to the Implementation of Skilling Uganda (SSU) implemented by the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) Uganda, District Local government authorities and chaired by the Kara-Tunga Foundation, Karamoja Tourism Academy and supported by EyeOpenerWorks and Ukarimu Academy.

The structure plays coordination and governance roles in line with Uganda national tourism policy.

The participants

Private sector tourism and hospitality players, Wardens of Conservation Areas managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority, Management of Protected Areas of National Forestry Authority, Local government Tourism Officers of all 9 districts and the Chairpersons of the 3 Community Conservation Areas.

The official programme

1. Introduction
2. Opening remarks (Enabel, Karamoja)
3. Reflection on action points from previous meeting (Kara-Tunga)
4. Presentation by UKARIMU on the recently launched skilling project of 75 youth from Karamoja in Tourism and Hospitality.
5. Presentation of Warrior Nomad Trail Initiative, Vehicle for regional tourism development
6. Group work to answer the following questions:
   1. What’s needed for the success of the trail?
   2. How do the stakeholders want to be involved?
   3. What would be the most ideal organisational structure?
   4. What commitment can the stakeholders make towards the initiative?
7. Presentation of groups
8. Presentation of Enabel Karamoja
9. Closing remarks

Reflection on action points from previous meeting

Read the article about the 2nd Karamoja Tourism Coordination Platform.

1. Sustain the district-led platforms established for more coordination partnership collaboration and sharing knowledge and information.
2. Mapping of all tourism operators in the region, formalize with acquiring of permits and other requirements from authorities. Engage with District Local Government, Uganda Wildlife Authority, National Forest Authority, Uganda Tourism Board and other established mechanisms.
3. Participate in community awareness activities, sensitisation, capacity building and skilling the youth to labor market demanded skills in tourism.
4. Using the identified opportunities, tap into the required labor for the tourism sector in the region by equipping the youth with relevant and demanded skills.

Presentation of skilling project

EyeOpenerWorks Initiative, UKARIMU Academy, Matany Girls Vocational School and Karamoja Tourism Academy will train 75 Karamoja youth in Hospitality and Site Guiding with the financial support of Enabel in Uganda. 

The Karamoja Tourism Academy will train 25 youth (male and female) in site guiding and Matany Girls Vocational School will train 50 women in hospitality. Together we aim at improving the quality of service in the region and create job opportunities for our youth through skills development. Learn more…

Presentation of Warrior Nomad Trail Initiative

The Warrior Nomad Trail offers travelers an authentic cultural experience and untamed outdoor adventure in East Africa’s least travelled areas. The cross-border tourist trail connects colorful people and remarkable places from Northeastern Uganda, South Sudan, Northern Kenya and Southwest Ethiopia. The initiative aims at creating (job) opportunities, preservation of cultural heritage, biodiversity and foster peace among neighbouring communities. Learn more….

Group work to answer the following questions

General feedback of participants

• The participants generally appreciated the experience of gathering to learn about tourism potential and coordinate for a bright regional tourism and hospitality sector.

Needs identified for success of the regional tourism and hospitality sector

• Community involvement and sensitising about tourism and conservation of biodiversity
• Providing policy frameworks
• Providing mapping of tourism potential sites and activities (profiling)
• Coordination with all the stakeholders PPP2
• Creation of regional tourism and hospitality private sector platform
• Advocating and attracting more partners
• Capacity building of tourism and hospitality stakeholders
• Financial support
• Peace building
• Public relations, marketing and advertising
• Improvement of infrastructure
• Product development, diversification and specialisation

Suggestions for an organisation structure of the Warrior Nomad Trail

• Flat organisation structure
• Minimise bureaucracy
• Open door policy

Action points meeting

1. District Local Government tasks tourism private sector stakeholders to register with District Community Development Officer and Sub Community Development Officer.
2. Private sector tourism stakeholders tasks themselves to spearhead communication and sensitisation of District Local Government and Sub Counties on the tourism and hospitality sector in general.
3. Formation of a regional tourism association with a (paid) members structure for the sustainability of the coordination platform, to streamline the communication and advocate for regional tourism developmental activities. Tourism stakeholders will start the process during the nest regional tourism stakeholder meeting, taking place in November 2022. The registration is already concluded under the name of ‘Karamoja Tourism Association’ as organisation limited by guarantee.
4. Advocate for skilling in tourism and hospitality of stakeholders from freelance guides to operational staff, company management and company owners.
5. Government agencies and District Local Government are called upon to share policies related to tourism and conservation with tourism stakeholders.
6. Development of an online platform where mapped tourist sites are presented to the public.
7. Pro-active promotion of Public Private Partnerships in regional tourism development and investment.
8. Environmental conservation by utilisation of indigenous knowledge and planting of indigenous trees.
9. Stakeholders are called upon to diversify the regional tourist products by specialisation through doing market research, benchmarking and trainings in marketing.

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