Uganda Tourism Board has partnered with United Arab Emirates Travel influencer Khalid Al Meri to promote Uganda to the United Arab Emirates.
Khalid Al Ameri is an Emirati YouTuber and vlogger, known for his daily videos about life with his Arab wife Salama Mohamed and his kids, Khalifa and Abdullah. He has 6 million followers on Facebook, 1.2 million followers on Instagram, 1 million subscribers on Youtube and 2.7 million followers on Tiktok. His big online following has made him a huge influencer in the world.
Khalid and his family were received at Entebbe International Airport before being flown out for Gorilla Tracking at Bwindi National Park and later Kasese where they will have Game Drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, enjoya boat cruise on the Park’s Kazinga Channel water vessel before stepping and on Saturday April 10th where they will attend their former Ugandan house help Nasanga Sarah’s wedding in Kampala for a cultural experience.
“Visiting Uganda is mine and my Family’s first time to embark on an adventure since the outbreak of the Coronavirus and we are so honoured that Uganda is our first destination to open our travel minds again,”Khlalid said.
“With the kids mostly adorned to animals, while in Uganda, the Family looks forward to seeing beyond what they see on Television Travel Channels such as NatGeo Wild as Uganda has up to 50% of the World’s left Mountain Gorilla Population among other diverse wildlife species”. He continued.
Pitching Destination Uganda to the visitors, UTB’s Marketing Manager, Claire Mugabi, said that Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, was no doubt, one of the most tourism-resource rich countries on the African continent, thus guaranteeing value for money to visitors and investors alike.
“Our 10 national parks, 12 wildlife reserves, 10 wildlife sanctuaries, 5 community wildlife managed areas and 506 central forest reserves among others, make us the only country on the continent where visitors get to see “The Big Five + 2 game” – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, chimpanzee and mountain gorilla, on one safari,” she said.
“Uganda has more than 50% of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorillas, 11% of the global population of bird species, 7% of the global mammal diversity; 19% of Africa’s Amphibian species richness; 14% of Africa’s Reptile species richness. We are also home to the Source of River Nile (the longest river in the world), Lake Victoria (the largest freshwater lake in Africa) and Mt Rwenzori, the legendary Mountains of The Moon and the only mountain in the world with a snow cap on the equator and the third-highest on the continent,” she added, adding: “All the above and more make Uganda the most competitive destination in Africa, for visitors and investors alike.”
Bwindi, which the Khalids are visiting, is famous for its Mountain Gorillas- 53% of the entire world’s gorilla population to be exact while, QENP boasts of expansive landscapes, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.
“I have every reason to believe that you will have an unforgettable experience while on your destination tour,” Mugabi told the Khalids.
She also said that the Middle East is proximally located- just about 4-5 hours away from the Middle East with two direct 2 direct flights to Dubai, adding that the Middle East has been a historic trading partner of Uganda.
She concluded that, as Uganda Tourism Board, we are targeting the UAE because it’s a rich Country (GDP per head = $67,119), it’s outbound travel market is predicted to surpass US$ 24 billion by 2025, it’s a young and adventurous market, it’s citizens travel Often: 50% of the population travel internationally for leisure for at least 2 or more times a year. (3 – 4 times is the average for middle to high-end earners), it’s known for a high Travel spend with US$ 3,280 per person per day, 48% of it’s people will stay in 5 star properties, 32% will stay in 4 star properties, only 20% will stay in a 3 star properties or less and they usually travel in Large Numbers with 46% traveling as families (Emirati families average 6 pax, with many travelling with extended families (and nannies and maids) and 38% travel as couples. With all this and the measures taken in controlling the Coronavirus, we estimate up to 5,000 visitors annually from this source market which then would turn into a meaningful contribution on tourism revenue in the country.
