Kara-Tunga Wins Adventure Travel Trade ATTA Scholarship 2023

It’s a an absolute honour to be among the three initiatives awarded Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) annual Tour Operator Scholarship for:

“Innovative entrepreneurs who are disrupting the industry with ethical and sustainable practices to create lasting changes in their communities.”

The Karamoja region is experiencing a renaissance. This area was once without tourism due to conflicts, poverty, and lack of infrastructure. In recent years, however, Karamoja has emerged as a destination for travelers seeking wildlife, hiking and cycling experiences, and authentic cultural heritage. Theo Vos tapped into this opportunity and founded Kara-Tunga Tours to utilize tourism as a means to improve the region’s reputation among travelers, provide employment opportunities for local youth, and develop a portfolio of sustainable tourism products that go beyond the wildlife safaris that account for much of Uganda’s tourism model.

“Kara-Tunga represents a region and its resilient people that have been marginalized for decades,” Vos said. “Tourism has given us a voice, it has created opportunities for all, it has created value out of our culture and traditions.”

While tourism has indeed helped reshape the region, Karamoja still lacks a skilled workforce that can take the industry to the next level. Kara-Tunga is changing this through the Kara-Tunga Foundation, which works in several education initiatives to create tourism-oriented career opportunities where few existed before.

The impact of Kara-Tunga’s dedication to developing sustainable tourism in Karamoja and improving the livelihood of its local communities can be measured in job opportunities in accommodation facilities, marketing, community tours, and hospitality services. Their commitment to empowering local communities to participate and benefit from their natural and cultural resources made them a deserving recipient for the scholarship.

“We are deeply grateful to the Jordan Tourism Board and ATTA for giving our people this opportunity to build a better future through tourism,” said Vos. “You have given us an opportunity to learn and a platform to connect for the development of a regenerative regional tourism future in East Africa’s least traveled areas.”

Special thanks

A special thanks to the ATTA voting committee and Jordan Tourism Board for granting us this opportunity. Read the full article here.

Kara-Tunga’s founding story

Read more about Kara-Tunga and watch the video below.