For years, selling Uganda as a destination meant leaning on the region’s most predictable features — the iconic mountain gorilla and the Big Five animals. The East African nation’s diverse communities, modern cities, and remote community tourism experiences remained eclipsed to all but the intrepid explorer. That narrative has now shifted. In a visible departure from the status quo, Uganda Tourism Board’s new marketing campaign showcases a country with features few outside visitors might expect and serves as a sign of what’s to come out of African destinations in a post-pandemic competitive tourism industry. Viewers might glimpse a chimpanzee, a giraffe or a cheetah on the chase, but these make up a tiny part of the footage, otherwise dominated by scenes of Ugandans enjoying a range of outdoor adventures, cultural and urban activities in their own country. The campaign, released less than a week ago, was launched alongside a rebranding of the destination to “Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa.”
SOURCE: SKIFT