NEW NATIONAL PARK TARIFFS COMING FOR UGANDA BUT GORILLA PERMIT FEES FIXED TILL 2019
(Posted 18th July 2017)
The Uganda Wildlife Authority has reiterated their commitment to keep the fees for tracking mountain gorillas in the country stable, i.e. not raise the charges unlike one of the other countries in the region has done without notice a few weeks ago.
Controversy there is still raging regardless of what wildlife managers publicly say while Uganda is experiencing a boom in permit sales, given the cost difference between the 600 US Dollars UWA keeps charging and the 1.500 US Dollars across the border.
Tariff increases for national park entries however are being discussed between UWA and Uganda’s tourism associations with the new charges proposed to go from 40 US Dollars per person per day to 45 US Dollars per person per day while locals and regional EAC citizens’ fees are proposed to rise from Uganda Shillings 15.000 to Uganda Shillings 20.000 per person per day.
UWA also seeks a tariff revision for park activities such as the use of their launches on Kazinga Channel and the Nile at Paraa as well as their various accommodation units available for private hire.
Discussions and consultations are ongoing but an agreements is expected to be found within weeks to give foreign tour operators as much notice as possible for safari costs in Uganda from next year onwards.
Meanwhile has the organization handed nearly 930 million Uganda Shillings to at least 8 communities bordering national park under the annual revenue sharing deal. UWA’s Executive Director Dr. Andrew Seguya handed over the respective cheques to district administrators during a function earlier this month, encouraging them to use the funds to provide added social services to their communities to show them that wildlife conservation at the grassroots does benefit them.
Present at the function was also the Chairman of UWA, former Tourism Permanent Secretary Ben Otto.
