UGANDA, Jinja | Real Muloodi News | As part of a grand plan to establish the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) as a Center of Excellence for hospitality and tourism training, the prestigious Crested Crane Hotel in Jinja is scheduled for demolition to pave the way for an ultra-modern tourism institute worth USh20 billion.
This major undertaking is part of Phase II of a World Bank-funded project that commenced with the construction of a magnificent four-star hotel, set to be completed by December.
UHTTI Principal, Miriam Namutosi, announced during a press conference that the upcoming phase will witness the construction of a comprehensive facility featuring classrooms, a computer laboratory, a library, a students’ multi-purpose hall, hostels, language labs, offices, and sports facilities, among other amenities.
This ambitious endeavour aims to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure to nurture excellence in the fields of hospitality and tourism.
To facilitate the smooth transition during the construction phase, UHTTI will temporarily relocate to YMCA Jinja for a period of two years.
The institute has already secured the premises through a transparent procurement process and is in the process of hiring a firm to facilitate the move before the semester begins on August 12, 2023.
Due to the scale of the construction works, the iconic Crested Crane Hotel, along with the Demo kitchen and registry, will be demolished.
While acknowledging the historical value of the old hotel, Principal Namutosi emphasised that the contractor requires the space for construction purposes.
The decision to dismantle these historical structures, which were constructed by colonialists in 1954, was inevitable as they were deemed to have weakened over time and couldn’t be preserved for long.
The construction of modern infrastructure marks a crucial milestone in the institute’s journey to achieving its vision of becoming a leading Center of Excellence in hospitality and tourism training.
The sacrifice of the old hotel is seen as a necessary step to propel the institute forward and embrace the opportunities offered by contemporary facilities.
Founded in the mid-1980s after a thorough feasibility study, the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute initially began as a pilot school under ILO/UNDP at Fairway Hotel in Kampala in 1989.
When the Fairway Hotel reverted to its original owners in 1991, ILO/UNDP withdrew from the project, leaving it entirely under the purview of the Ugandan government.
Subsequently, the institute was relocated to the Crested Crane Hotel in Jinja in 1994. The UHTTI Act of 2015 mandated the institute to train manpower for the hospitality and tourism industry while engaging in sector research.
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