Page 16 www.lux-review.com LUX 2022 Travel & Tourism Awards Professionally guided by Ugandan locals, Bamboo Ecotours offers unique insight and travel experiences due to the culture, history, and geography ingrained in the founder and his employees. Bamboo Ecotours provides authentic experiences and unforgettable memories for its clients with a mission to support the local community by offering unique features such as gorilla treks and wildlife safaris to Uganda, Rwanda and DRC’s Virunga National Park. These tours work as a tourism boost to the community that aids in providing opportunities for individual communities with an investment of up to 15% of the company’s income being put directly into community projects such as building schools, water catchment systems and supporting community health centres. An offering that represents the kind and dedicated personalities that run Bamboo Ecotours. Bamboo Ecotours integrates local experiences into the gorilla treks & wildlife tours, taking advantage of the tourism to promote Uganda and invest in development projects especially around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Overall, the company is promoting these travels to improve the livelihood of the communities dependent on ecotourism. Established as a grass-roots social enterprise, Bamboo Ecotours provides an unparalleled travel service experience for those who wish to capture the magnificent scenic wildlife of Uganda. Travelling throughout ‘the Pearl of Africa’, Bamboo Ecotours has been acknowledged as East Africa’s Best Small Group Gorilla Trekking Safari Experience. Registered and authorised by the Ugandan government, Bamboo Ecotours operates entirely by complying with local regulations and laws. Dec21046 Bamboo Ecotours Best Small Group Gorilla Trekking Safari Experience - East Africa Additional efforts provided by Bamboo Ecotours provide entrepreneurial training to local individuals who run smaller businesses. With support and encouragement, Bamboo Ecotours inspire these businesses to reinvest the additionally earned income from the newfound training into the community – a circle of improvement and communal backing that Bamboo Ecotours kickstarted. The company takes on a unique approach for its travellers regarding the tours. Bamboo Ecotours connects its customers to specific wildlife (gorillas, chimps, wildlife viewing), showcases authentic cultures, and provides an unforgettable experience that directly benefits the travellers and the community. Moreover, it arranges a comprehensive support network that is attracted in from tourism, offering a refreshing take on tours by providing cultural enlightenment However, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Bamboo Ecotours faced significant challenges that affected the tourism industry considerably. In particular, the closure of the Rwanda-Uganda land border was the most considerable disruption for the company. PreCovid-19, many of Bamboo Ecotour’s trips originated from Kigali due to its closeness to Bwindi National Park, however, detouring from plans, Bamboo Ecotours pivoted and started trips from Kampala/Entebbe. Travelling to this destination was substantially longer, taking approximately nine hours, instead of its initial tours in Kigali, which was estimated to be a four-hour drive. While operational costs increased, the tour pricing did not, which was done to encourage tourism still and keep competitive. However, despite the challenges produced by Covid-19, Bamboo Ecotours has remained popular and maintained a significant number of bookings. Despite restrictions, the company is hopeful for the new year and aims to continue showcasing the natural beauties of Uganda. For 2022, Bamboo Ecotours aims to improve its marketing efforts by attending trade fairs, with one, in particular, ITB Berlin. Furthermore, by attending these events and functions, the company hopes to establish a collaboration with European travel agents. Moreover, with the company’s recent growth and a surging increase of reviews online, Bamboo Ecotours is planning to branch out to its customers in hopes of attracting luxury clientele. Currently, Aerolink Uganda LTD provides daily domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport to almost all national parks in Uganda. Thus, the company aims to maximise these flights and utilise them for the tours to minimise the longer drives. Bamboo Ecotours embodies wildlife touring and is an international brand recognised for its local insight and guidance in Ugandan culture. In 2022, the company aims to continue what it does best -increase local tourism, provide unforgettable memories and support the community, one beautiful tour at a time. Company: Bamboo Ecotours Name: Edison Ndayambaje Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.bambooecotours.com
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