Responsible Travel refers to tourism that involves respecting the environment of tourism destinations of Uganda thus supporting conservation efforts. Responsible travel aims at sustaining the environment and supporting the community people to develop as well as protecting the culture and identity of the people.
Why should one take a responsible tour in Uganda?
Responsible tours support development of infrastructure through buying trekking permits and paying for other services for a tour in Uganda. The largest percentage of the money paid for permits and other services is used in the development of infrastructure like schools, community hospitals, road construction in the national parks and construction of up-to-date airstrips and airfields. These help to easy transportation and accessibility to the parks as well as providing education to the children of the communities around the park and also the hospitals help in improving the health of the locals by offering free medical care to the locals.
Promotes livelihood of the locals. Responsible tours in Uganda have done a lot more to improve the livelihood of the local people living in the areas around the park. When tourists visit the community markets and shops and support them by buy their products and goods, they in turn raise their household incomes thus improving their livelihoods.
Responsible tours in Uganda support tourism conservation efforts. When traveling to the park, tourists are required to pay a significant amount of money as park entrance or permits. A certain percentage of that money is put on conservation efforts that are meant to protect and conserve the wildlife species like the endangered species like mountain gorillas and white rhinos. The conservation efforts also help in educating the community around the park the benefits of the park and wildlife species to the community and this helps to reduce and crab down the poaching behavior in the local people.
They also support orphans through donations and volun-tourism. By embarking on a responsible tour in Uganda you directly or indirectly support the orphans. For instance, some companies partner with different orphanages and thus support the orphans.
Environmental conservation. It is an important to keep the environment at the back of you mind when embarking on a responsible tour in Uganda. Any fee charged to visitors on their visit to Uganda such as permits and park entrance fees, a certain percentage of that money is put to environmental conservation. Conserving the environment can be done in many ways such as avoiding littering, avoid destroying the environment through clearing of vegetation and deforestation, use of environmentally friendly vehicles like electric vehicles that reduce carbon emissions that destroy the ozone layer. Responsible tours in Uganda help to conserve the environment.
Responsible tours in Uganda help in prioritizing the welfare of the wildlife. Uganda is a country gifted by nature with incredible wildlife like tree-climbing lions, mountain gorillas and many others, bird species and impressive physical features such as the River the longest river on earth and Murchison Falls the strongest waterfall in the world among others. Responsible travelers ensure the conservation and safety of the wildlife and that the viewing of the wildlife is done without disorganizing or disturbing them hence protecting and improving the wellbeing of the wildlife.
Responsible tours support community development. When visitors come to tour in Uganda, the often include community tours of the communities around the parks. Through these community tours they visit the shops and markets of the locals and buy some products and goods from them. Through this they help in improving their income and livelihood in turn developing the community.
One should take on a responsible tour in Uganda because it recognizes culture and identity thus supporting cultural development. Through cultural encounters, visitors are introduced to the different cultures to learn their ways of life and also support them by buying their cultural craft goods.
Tips for Responsible travel in Uganda
When taking on a responsible travel in Uganda, it is important to keep the following tips in mind in order to have a successful responsible tour.
Don’t not litter. Littering of any type of waste to the environment is quite dangerous to the environment. For one to have a successful responsible travel in Uganda, avoid littering because it destroys that nature of the soil thus destroying the environment. Always dump the waste at designated waste bins provided.
Use of reusable items. When preparing your responsible travel in Uganda, always make sure to pack reusable goods like water bottles among other things. This helps to reduce the littering of waste that usually comes from using certain goods or things once and after you are required to dump them. Use of reusable goods will reduce the problem of littering thus ensuring you of a responsible travel in Uganda.
Ensure to include community tours in your itinerary. It is important to always have community encounters while embarking on a responsible travel in Uganda. Community encounters introduce the way of life of the locals to the visitors. Tourists visit the craft shops and markets and buy some goods from them. This promotes the livelihood of the locals and in turn developing the communities they come from.
Reduce use of vehicles that emit gases into the atmosphere. Responsible travel in Uganda help in conservation of the environment and atmosphere by using electric vehicles or vehicles that use less of petroleum and more of electricity. These vehicles reduce emissions of dangerous gases into the atmosphere and end up destroying the ozone layer.
Respect local cultures. Respect is key when it comes to a successful responsible travel in Uganda. When you arrive in the country you need to keep in mind that Uganda has diverse cultures and it is important to respect their norms and values.
Support conservation efforts. While on a responsible trip in Uganda, ensure to respect the conservation efforts that are put in place by the government to conserve the environment and also the wildlife. This support can be either financially or even respecting the guidelines put in place for conservation.
Follow the rules and regulations of the country. Uganda is a sovereign state which is governed by a set of rules and regulations. Responsible travels in Uganda should be organized in accordance with the rules and regulations of Uganda and visitors should strictly abide to them for their own safety and their property.
In conclusion by following the above tips, you can ensure not only to have a successful responsible travel in Uganda but also protect the environment as well as conservation of the wildlife in the country.