Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is ending the coronavirus disease pandemic year by discounting almost all services and products offered by 50 per cent from December 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
The discount is a reward to tourists in appreciation of their continued all-year-round support to UWA even in the face of the coronavirus disease pandemic that has disrupted the global economic order and eroded people's incomes. East African Community citizen gorilla tracking permits have been reduced from Shs 250,000 to Shs 150,000, foreign resident gorilla tracking permits are down to $300 up from $600 and foreign nonresident gorilla tracking permits reduced from $700 to $400.
UWA also reduced the East African Community resident chimpanzee tracking permits from Shs 150,000 to Shs 100,000, foreign resident chimpanzee tracking permits reduced from US$150 to $100 and foreign nonresident chimpanzee tracking permits are down to $150 up from $200.
The reduction in fees will only apply to new purchases and won't apply to re-schedules of already deposited permits or purchases using credit letters. And all promotional permits have to be used within the promotional period. UWA executive director Sam Mwandha said Uganda continues to manage the impact of Covid- 19 and welcomes visitors to the various destinations around the country.
Visitors will have mandatory temperature screenings, hand washing, must wear face masks, observe social distancing and vehicles and boats will carry half capacity in the parks. Saloon vehicles are prohibited for now.
When the lockdown started, many people took up poaching animals for home use or sale, but with the deployment of guards and arrests made, a 70 per cent reduction in illegal activities was registered in the month of July, Mwandha said.
Between July and September, about Shs 1.6 billion was collected from tourism-related activities, down from last year's Shs 37 billion collected in the same months. This has forced UWA to stop purchases of cars and office items like computers.
Source
