Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has commenced the Training of Public Health Inspectors on the minimum standards for Accommodation facilities.
This is in preparation for the Inspection of Accommodation facilities in Uganda.
According to UTB, the trainings will help k equip local officials with information and skills on profiling accommodation establishments, inspection of accommodation facilities on minimum standards, create awareness for the need of tourist enterprises to comply with regulations.
Speaking at the sidelines of the event, UTB CEO, Lilly Ajarova said the authority will by 2024, carry out nationwide enforcements against hotels and accommodation facilities that will not meet the set standards.
She says they were given the whole of 2022, to help them recover from the Covid-19 shocks, but also work on the missing bits.
“Considering the impact of Covid -19 on the tourism sector, many tourism enterprises were shut-down and as a result, various operations including health practices declined. Therefore, as the January 1st 2023 deadline is in place for all tourism enterprises to be registered, we are giving them time to rearrange themselves until end of year when we are to commence enforcement for the better of the tourism sector and meet of the best practices,” she said.
She added, ‘’Much as we understand the negative impact of Covid on the tourism sector players, we need to move forward so as to provide the best we can to attract both domestic and international tourist especially for existing businesses.”
Ajarova said they have started with the training of public health inspectors especially with local government officials given the act that clearly states; local government have their own role to play in the implementation of the tourism act 2008.
In her remarks, Ruth P. Gyayo – Principal Inspector, Directorate of Inspection, Ministry of Local Government said, they want to examine the profiling and development of tourism resources.