Tour Operators and Guides Re-Commit to Protecting the Endangered Mountain Gorillas in Uganda
Blog | 9/06/24
Over 60 tour operators and guides in Kampala re-affirmed their commitment to protecting the endangered mountain gorillas. This commitment was made during a two-day refresher training of tour guides and operators under the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) and Exclusive Sustainable Tour Operators Association (ESTOA) tour associations. The meeting helped in deepening participants’ understanding on the critical need to take the pledge to protect mountain gorillas and to share tracking feedback after treks through GF website www.gorillafriendly.org Additionally participants were made to appreciate the threats facing mountain gorillas and the link between conservation and tourism. “There is an inextricable link between conservation and tourism. Today has been an eye opener of what we owe the mountain gorillas. We get a lot of revenue from mountain gorilla tourism but if we cannot intentionally protect these gentle giants, we risk losing it all,” said Yvonne Hilgendorf – CEO Manya Africa.
“Without conservation tourists would have nothing to show. Clearly there is no tourism without conservation. What would there be to sell anyway? Let us learn to conserve gorillas as an industry” asserted Moreen Busingye of Rambura Safaris.
Speaking at the meeting Dr. Fred Nizeyimana of Gorilla Doctors revealed that “Diseases are still the biggest threat to mountain gorillas because their immunity is naïve. Human diseases like respiratory diseases that affect the nose, the throat or even the lungs affect mountain gorillas! We need to be cautious and intentional in protecting the mountain gorillas against diseases”. IGCP partners with the umbrella organizations of tour operators and guides to promote the Gorilla FriendlyTM campaign. This way the campaign can reach more tour operators and guides who are the primary link to the tourists with ease.
From the meeting, 61 new people took the pledge to protect mountain gorillas, bringing the number from 2052 to 2113. Participants also pledged to popularize the gorilla friendly campaign first by including the website link onto their social media pages and websites – “I’ve added the pledge link on my website https://malengtravel.net/ “said Tony Ofung of Maleng Travel.
Two stories were also published by the media that participated in these trainings.
Story Links : https://capitalradio.co.ug/news/latest/2024-06-11-urbanisation-hindering-mountain-gorilla-conservation/#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20participants%20in%20the%20gorilla%20friendly%20meeting&text=Mutabazi%20stated%20that%20Urbanisation%20also,Gorilla%20Conservation%20in%20the%20country and https://softpower.ug/experts-call-for-tourism-conservation-collaborations/
