CNN Names Uganda Among Best Tourist Destinations to Explore in 2023

CNN, a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., has named Uganda among the best tourist destinations to explore in this new year 2023.

The world’s biggest and highly ranked news network, in its travel article published on January 1, 2023, cites a change in Uganda’s travel offerings for visitors.

“There’s considerable change brewing in Uganda’s travel offerings at the moment with the East African country looking beyond the traditional staples of safari and wildlife spotting to appeal to both regional and international visitors,” the article reads in part.

It says keen to revitalize post-Covid tourism in all corners of the country, not just the big-ticket businesses offering wealthy visitors a glimpse of the Big Five beasts or mountain gorillas, Uganda has turned to marketing its other attributes.

“And why not? From the expansive shores of Lake Victoria to the snowy Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda is a beautiful wilderness playground, with opportunities for adventure including treks through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or up to the craters of the Virunga volcano chain or whitewater rafting along the Victoria Nile.”

It added: “There’s also an emphasis on connecting visitors with Ugandan communities — promising tastes of Ugandan food, music and culture. Last year saw the launch of the Uganda Cycling Trail, a 1,600-kilometer mainly unpaved 22-stage route designed to appeal to all levels of cyclist from hardcore solo bikepackers to fully-guided easy riders.”

According to CNN, after nearly three years of travel disruptions and complications, many countries have dropped most of their pandemic restrictions. People are travelling internationally in large numbers, and there’s plenty of pent-up demand to spread around the world.

International tourism was expected to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, with some areas recently reaching levels closer to 80% or 90% of their 2019 arrivals. And experts are cautiously optimistic about a continued travel rebound.