Hon Jovino Akaki
Umu - Ugandan Minister of state for
Tourism, Wildlife &
Antiquities Uganda will
host the First Annual Africa Tourism
Investment Summit (FAATIS) in Kampala
in October 2003. The event will be
officially by opened by the President
of Uganda, His Excellency Mr. Yoweri
Museveni. Themed as " Africa - the 21st
Century Destination", the Summit will
run from 3 to 8 October 2003 and has
already been billed as a major boost to
Uganda's fledgling tourism industry,
and as an important landmark in the
promotion of tourism and investment in
Africa. Major
potential partners and sponsors who
have pledged their commitment to the
success of FAATIS include several
African countries, the World Bank
Group/IMF Africa Club, Crown Beverages
Ltd (Pepsi) of Uganda, NEPAD, Kenya
Airways, ANN, a global satellite T.V
network connected with CNN, the Haandi
Restaurant Group and the Speke Resort
and Country Lodge in Munyonyo Ugandan.
Over 40 other national, multinational
and private institutions, including
many of the world's leading
publications, airlines, tour operators,
banks and financial institutions have
also expressed interest to
participate. Ugandan
Minister of Tourism, Trade &
Industry, Hon. Prof Edward B. Rugumayo
said: "The Summit will offer delegates
a chance to sample Uganda's hospitality
and to witness the country's
forward-looking agenda involving
programs on ecotourism. Over the past
few years, Uganda's tourism has
developed by leaps and bounds. We have
built infrastructure and modernized
facilities to cope with the global
demands on tourism. We have trained our
Tour & Travel Operators to provide
high standard of service. The Summit
could not have come at a better time to
a better venue, given that Uganda has
good weather all year round", he
said. The Minister said
that while Uganda is acclaimed for the
unique wildlife attractions, such as
the gorilla sanctuary, the country has
much more than that to offer. "FAATIS
Kampala 2003 will be a revelation!" he
added. The Ugandan
Minister of state for Tourism, Wildlife
& Antiquities, Hon Jovino Akaki
Umu, speaking at the FAATIS Kampala
2003 press briefing at the World Travel
Market in London said: " His Excellency
President Yoweri Museveni has
personally offered his support for this
venture and welcomes everyone to the
Tourism Summit as a historic landmark
designed to open the doors for African
Tourism". The Minister urged the scores
of people including African Ministers
of State, Ambassadors, High
Commissioners and senior officials from
tourist boards, airlines, tour
operators and multinational institution
who had gathered at the Uganda stand
for the briefing and cocktail to ensure
that they are adequately represented at
FAATIS 2003 "so that together we can
showcase Uganda as the Pearl of Africa
in the tourism market". Dr. Sidi Jammeh,
the Chair of World Bank Group IMF
Africa Club at the World Bank
Headquarters in Washington DC, said the
Summit would provide an excellent
initiative to propel the African
tourism to new levels of international
exposure that would help attract
foreign exchange necessary for economic
growth. The Ugandan High
Commissioner to the UK, H.E. Prof.
George Kirya, who is also the Head of
the Diplomatic Corp. in the UK, said:
"The time has come for Africa to
position itself to fully share in the
proceeds from global tourism and the
opportunity through the Summit must not
be lost. There is a big opportunity in
Africa's tourism industry for both
foreign investors and entrepreneurs to
exploit in Africa", he said. Al-Haji Tanko,
interim Chair of the 23-member joint
Summit Planning Committee of London,
Washington DC and Kampala, which is
coordinating the Summit with the Uganda
government, estimated that more than
1000 foreign delegates including
Ugandans in Diaspora would attend.
"Africa is far more endowed with more
tourist attractions than any continent
and the Summit is aimed at exposing
them", he said. The Summit is to
be organized by the FAATIS Planning
Committee in conjunction with the
Ugandan Ministry of Tourism, Trade and
Industry, the Ugandan Tourism Board,
the Ugandan Investment Promotion
Authority, the Ugandan High
Commissioner to the UK and FAATIS
Planning Committee in Washington DC,
London, Asia and
elsewhere.--- Issued by
Ministry of Tourism, Trade and
Industry, & the Government of
Uganda For additional
information on The First Annual Africa
Tourism Investment Summit FAATIS 2003
please contact: FAATIS UK
OFFICE Suite 405,
Bondway Commercial, 71 Bondway, London
SW8 1SQ UK Tel.: +(44)
020-7820 3660; Fax: (+44) 020 7733
8290 E-mail:
info@faatis.com,
or visit www.faatis.com FAATIS US
OFFICE World Bank
Group/IMF Africa Club Secretariat,
Washington DC, USA Tel: +(1)
202-458-0338; Tel: +(1)
202-522-3331 usa@faatis.com or
E-mail: wbimfafricaclub@worldbank.org FAATIS
ASIA Mr. Saeed Akhtar
Mohammed,Asia Tel (92-42)
586-7727 Email:
asia@faatis.com FAATIS UGANDA
OFFICE Uganda Ministry
of Tourism - Directorate of Tourism and
Trade Industry Kampala Tel:
+(256)-41-348-154; Fax: 256-41 -
347-286; and The Uganda
Tourist Board [UTB] Phone: +
(256)-41-342196/7; Fax:
256-41-342188
.
UGANDA
TO HOST AFRICA TOURISM INVESTMENT
SUMMIT
For further information and details
contact the FAATIS office on (+ 44) 0207 820 3660 or email on info@faatis.com