Investment Opportunities in the East African Tourism Industry

Investment Opportunities in the East African Tourism Industry
East Africa is globally known for her unique wildlife safaris experiences that don’t exist anywhere in the world. These include wonderful game drives in the region’s wide savanna parks of Serengeti and Ngorongoro in Tanzania, Maasai Mara and Tsavo in Kenya where you can view all the big five and other amazing animals like antelopes, hippos, giraffes, zebra among others in their natural habitat. Mountain gorilla safaris exclusively done in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Chimpanzee tracking encounters are so much evident in Uganda’s Kibale Forest national park and Rwanda’s Nyungwe forest national park.

Other amazing tourist attractions in East Africa include mountain hiking in the region’s glacial mountains of Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and Rwenzori in Uganda, birding safaris, forest walks, boat cruises, white-water rafting, volcano hikes, historical and cultural tours

The five East African courtiers of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi have come together to form a regional economic bloc known as the East African Community (EAC) to boost the region’s economic development.

Due to the growing tourism industry in the region and the rising demand for tourism services as indicated by the ever increasing number of travellers that visit the region for tourist activities, the East African Community has identified key areas that present potential investors with a mega opportunity to invest and receive returns instantly.

The body has pointed out key areas in each country’s tourism industry where new investments are needed. The potential investors who are willing to work hand in hand with the respective governments may consider these key areas in each country for investments.

Tanzania

Potential attractions
• Game viewing in wild natural habitat of Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti national park
• Mountain Climbing into Africa’s highest mountain of Kilimanjaro
• Wildlife safaris
• Game hunting
• Scuba Diving and other water sports
• Relaxing on the clean and azure beaches along the Zanzibar and Mafia Islands
• Visiting historical sites in Zanzibar and Bagamoyo plus Tanzania Cultural Tours

Investment Opportunities
• Building world-class accommodation in hotels, lodges, guesthouses, entertainment and camping sites. There are joint venture opportunities in Kilwa, Zanzibar, Mafia, Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Selous, Katavi, Saadani, Babati and Bukoba.
• Opportunities for Ecotourism in the Eastern Arc mountain ranges of North Pare, the Usambaras, Uluguru, and Udzungwa. Others are the mangrove forests of the Mtwara, Lindi, Coast and Tanga regions.
• Hotel and campsites development in some of the cultural heritage of Bagamoyo, Pangani, Tabora and Kilwa.
• Deep-sea fishing development, trophy hunting and sea and lake cruising
• Training colleges/academies in tourism activities
• Tour operations and agency business
• Investment in private tourist attractions like theme parks and gambling resorts
• Water transport services along the coastal belt strip and inland waterways

Kenya
Potential Attractions
• Game viewing including the “big five”
• Game hunting
• Watching the great wildebeest migration
• Historical sites
• Warm, sandy beaches
• Mountain climbing

Investment Opportunities
• Development of domestic tourism
• Development of conference tourism, sports tourism, retirement tourism, ecotourism, cultural tourism and water tourism on both the coast and Lake Victoria
• Construction of lodges, hotels and campsites to cater for the increasing number of tourists

Uganda
Potential Attractions

• Mountain gorilla tours in Bwindi Impenetrable national park
• Murchison Falls for game viewing and exploring River Nile, the world’s longest River
• Hiking the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains
• Wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth national park with 100 mammals including tree climbing lions and more than 600 bird species.
• Hiking Mountain Elgon
• Lake Victoria tour for spot fishing, boat cruises and relaxing at sand beaches
• Chimpanzee tracking and other 12 primates in Kibale forest national park
• Community visits, cultural and historical tours


Investment Opportunities

• Innovative tour operations and package programs targeting national, regional and international visitors
• Establishment of modern cruises on the River Nile
• Cabin ferry services on Lake Victoria
• Training schools for professional hospitality industry services
• High quality accommodation facilities

Rwanda
Potential Attractions
• Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park
• Nyungwe waterfalls and national park tourist activities
• Game viewing with the “big five” in Akagera national park
• Mountain biking
• Bird watching
• Paramotoring
• Community visit for cultural and historical tours including visiting genocide memorials

Investment Opportunities

• Building new high-standard accommodation
• Modernizing and upgrading the existing accommodation, restaurants and entertainment facilities in key tourist destinations
• Constructing a modern hotel at Nyanza near the Nyanza Royal Palace for tourists who want to stay and learn more about the traditional ways of life of the pre-colonial Rwanda
• Creating zoological and botanical gardens in major urban centers like Kigali, Butare, Ruhengeri and Gisenyi
• Creating boating and water sports facilities on Lake Kivu
• Offering training in leisure and hospitality, hotel management, tour guiding and customer service

Burundi
Potential Attractions
• Cultural heritage and sites with some of the best traditional dance groups and drumming cultures in the world
• National parks and nature reserves

Investment Opportunities
• Development of cultural site
• Development of accommodation facilities

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