UGANDA, Jinja | Real Muloodi News | The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has highlighted the inadequacies of hotels in Jinja City, stating that they lack the necessary facilities to host national and international conferences effectively.
According to Mr. Bradford Ochieng, the deputy chief executive officer of UTB, none of the hotel establishments in Jinja city have been classified as three-star by the board.
He explained that such classification is crucial for hosting conferences and is determined by assessors from the East African Community (EAC) and UTB, considering various criteria including the quality of accommodation, conference halls, amenities, and staff proficiency.
“On several occasions, we would like to bring conferences to Jinja, but unfortunately, when we start to scan, there is no three-star hotel of EAC standards,” Mr Ochieng remarked.
Mr Ochieng emphasised that hosting international conferences requires a minimum of a 3-star rating, which Jinja Hotels currently lacks due to owners’ unwillingness to meet the necessary standards.
However, former UTB chairman Mr. Daudi Migereko pointed out that while hotel rating and classification are important, they should not prevent international conferences from being hosted in Jinja city.
He noted that some facilities in Jinja meet international standards despite not being officially classified.
Jinja South Division Mayor, Mr. Nasser Ashraf, urged local hotels to collaborate with investors to improve their facilities and attract international conferences.
Ms. Judith Bitali, the Buyende District Tourism Officer, emphasised the importance of not only rating and classifying hotels but also ensuring the professionalism of the staff.
She noted that many hotel employees lack professional training, despite the presence of the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) in Jinja.
Amidst concerns about the readiness of Jinja hotels to host global conferences, hopes are now pinned on the Crested Crane Hotel.
Under construction by Roko Construction Ltd for USh24.5 billion funded by the World Bank, the hotel is expected to be a three-star facility with 82 accommodation rooms meeting international and EAC standards.
Mr Daniel Kazungu, the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute Public Relations Officer expressed optimism about the new hotel’s potential to boost tourism in Jinja city and professionalise the hospitality sector through workforce training.
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