Uganda Hotels and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala November 2007
Following the forth coming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) a number of hotels have set high charges for accommodation in hope for citing high investment costs, the tourism state minister Serapio Rukundo said. The minister further added that we have challenges of cost escalation by hotels. It is important that the costs are comparable in the region. Negotiations with hotel managers to reduce the prices were going on, the minister said. This was an update about the readiness of hotels for CHOGM given by Runkundo. The progress on Speke Resort Munyonyo that would accommodate heads of state is reasonable. Serena Hotel and Golf Course hotels would accommodate foreign affairs ministers, while the media would be housed at the Imperial Royal Hotel. The people’s forum will be held at Hotel Africana, while Imperial Resort Beach Hotel would host the youth forum. However THE minister added that the sector was still weighed down by the late completion of structures.the director of Tourism industry Blandina Nshakira when viewed said that hotels whose rates had been negotiated with the Government would be posted on the CHOGM website soon. The minister further added that there are speculation with some hotels trying to take advantage of CHOGM. Their investments can’t be recouped in a few days. All rates will be put on the site reasonable enough according to the rating of hotels
According to Nshakira, the choice of accommodation will depend on the visitors with some from the neighbouring countries opting to stay with families or friends. People are free to book hotels of their choice but they have to be carefull with the hotel whose rates will not appear in the CHOGM websites.
The summit will help boost tourism in Uganda. Tourism areas like Bulago Island, Ngamba Island for chimpanzee sanctuary, Queen Elizabeth National Park and most likely the source of the Nile. These are one of the important places in the heart of the country that depicts the natural world and home for different species of birds for birding safaris and other wild fauna.
Stella Achen