The Bujagali Falls were quite magnificent. There were many rapids and it was impressive watching all the water traveling through. While we did see the Bujagali Falls, we also traveled to the start of the Nile River. The river begins at Lake Victoria and travels 4000 miles through northern Africa to the Mediterranean Sea.
One surprising thing about both of these sites was the lack of tourist development. The tourism within this area could be expanded greatly. It would be profitable to have more resorts, restaurants, and shops around to increase both the amount of tourism and the length of a tourist’s stay. Expanding on activities available such as boat tours, kayaking or rafting through the falls, swimming or diving in the Nile, as well as 4-wheeling near the Nile would all increase tourism within both these sites and Jinja. However, more advertising and marketing would be necessary to ensure that people are aware of the attractions available to them. On the other hand, many people believe that activities designed to increase tourism in an area may destroy the beauty that these landmarks exhibit.
The plans to build two dams near the beginning of the Nile may ruin tourism within Jinja however. The building of the dams would destroy the Bujagali Falls, replacing them with a reservoir. Building the dams will also take several years which will help in providing work to Ugandans within the Jinja area. The dams, while increasing the amount of hydro electric power to Uganda, will destroy nearby habitat and harm local animals. The dams will also have a large impact on nations upstream. The dam will lessen the amount of water flow present within the Nile. This will decrease precious water supply upstream for both the inhabitants and any irrigation that the Nile is used for. Many people believe that this will upset countries upstream, possibly even beginning a war over the water the Nile River provides.
Questions to think about:
Would you increase tourism to the Bujagali Falls area? What impact would this decision have on Jinja’s economy?
Do you think that building the dams will help Uganda’s growth or hinder it?
What do you think are the major impacts of building the dams? Would it be a wise decision for Uganda to build them?
Popular Posts
-
A few days ago, we visited our first school in Uganda! As an education major, this greatly excited me. It was raining in the morning and a b...
-
Students and Faculty from Drake will be returning to Kampala in May, 2010! The faculty are excited to return to Uganda and see our friends ...
-
The Drake University faculty and student participants in the 7 th annual Sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa study abroad program depart... -
Everyone is finishing final exams and busy packing for our departure to Uganda in one week. The professors are looking forward to seeing al...
-
The faculty are looking forward to returning to Kampala in a few weeks and introducing a new group of students to our colleagues from MUBS. ...
I would increase tourism in both areas. Both are quite underdeveloped and could use some work to enhance not only the natural beauty but also their worth as landmark sites.
ReplyDeleteBujagali Falls currently has no significance beyond its natural beauty, but no permanent tourism enhancing changes are practical because of the impending dams. With some good marketing, area businesses could exploit the end of the falls by attracting tourists with a "last chance to see the Falls" slogan. People are always attracted to the end and good marketing can bring them in.
On the other hand, the source of the Nile is a very significant landmark and has merit far beyond its natural beauty. It is the beginning of a major water source for every country in the Nile's path from Uganda up to Egypt. That is why I believe it should be developed to attract more tourists. Rather than just the cheap tourist shops which no doubt exploit child and menial laborers, I would suggest building an information center to share the significance and history of the site, the lake, and the river.
After finding out that two dams were being built and this was going to ruin the natural habitat, I was saddened because the area was going to lose a natural beauty and the tourism that comes with the area. But then I thought about it, if the dams being built are going to provide more hydro electric energy, then there will be more opportunities for the local community. The dams might revive some of the industries that once were thriving in Jinja and this resurgence of the industries will supply more jobs for the residence of Jinja.
ReplyDeleteAt the source of the Nile, I was surprised to see how many craft shops were set up along the path that leads to the source. This made me a little sad because the source of longest river in the world has so many distractions that take away from the beauty of Lake Victoria and the Nile. There are ways that the source can be developed so it is more friendly to tourists, but adding more craft shops is not the way to attract tourists.
I think the country has three options, increase tourism, build the dams, or preserve the wild life. I think the country needs to choose one, because each will ruin opprotunities for the others. While building the dams will provide a lot of clean power to the area, it will destroy much of the habitat and beauty - it will no longer be a tourist attraction. I think Uganda could think of other ways to provide clean power to it's people; like wind power. If they increased marketing and advertising to increase tourism, the increase in human activity would also upset the wild life and lead to more industrialization. Personally, I think Uganda should leave it as it is. The area is beautiful. Today, it is very rare to find untampered with natural beauty, especially in the United States. It was refreshing to be tourists to a smaller, calmer, more beautiful area.
ReplyDeleteUganda is such a beautiful country and I loved watching the residents of Jinja enjoy their day swimming and kayaking down stream. The two waterfalls were so amazing to me that I can not imagine anyone wanting to destroy them by building a damn.
ReplyDeleteTourism is one thing that can be improved simply by advertisements. The people of Jinja are already seeing an increase of tourism at the source of the Nile River. The amount of craft shops there was enough to prove that to me that tourist often visit, but I also heard Professor Bishop discussing the increase of shops in this area over the years she has visited Uganda. Businesses have a lot of potential in this area to succeed and become popular, my only hope is that Uganda does not loose it's culture with increased tourism.
I love the diversity of the world but with the spread of technology and information this world is becoming more and more globalized. People are loosing their culture and traditions are dying out. Even in Uganda today 2 languages are no longer spoken because the people that represented that culture have absorbed by another more popular culture. I hope that Uganda progresses without loosing it's natural beauty or it's culture and rich history.
What makes it difficult to comment about raising tourism is the fact that I would be concerned with what it would do for the environment and everything around it. Tourism is something that has both positive and negative effects and it makes it difficult to say whether it is a completely good or bad thing.
ReplyDeleteHaving stated that, I honestly believe that Uganda as a whole, not just the falls should raise their level of tourism. Uganda is such a beautiful country - both people and landscape - and a higher level of tourism would bring more revenue and would attract more people. In order for Uganda to become a sustainable country, they really do need to step it up.