Retired Supreme Court judge, George Kanyeihamba, says there is an urgent need to improve hospitality training in Uganda, in order to boost tourism.
Kanyeihamba, who is chairing the commission of inquiry into the mismanagement of nearly 100-billion-shilling tourism project, made the remarks following the appearance of Zahid Alam, the owner of GeoLodges Uganda.
In his submission, Alam said most of the products of Uganda’s hospitality institutions lack professionalism compared to products from Kenya and Tanzania.
Alam said even after internship most of the hospitality graduates exhibit unprofessional conduct and behaviour not favourable for the promotion of the hospitality industry.
He said one of the major challenges of the industry is that graduates from other disciplines are now doing hospitality work because there are few trained professionals.
Alam suggested that government needs to revitalize and improve the training at Uganda’s premier hospitality institute, the Crested Crane Hotel and Tourism Institute in Jinja.
Kanyeihamba observed that in the 1960s the institute produced the best tourism experts in East Africa, a thing which needs to be revitalized.
He said the institute and others in the country need to be strengthened as a matter of priority.
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