Kampala (TAN): Representatives of the Indian film industry and Travel Agents Federation of India are currently touring Uganda to enhance cultural ties and exploring ways to promote the African country as a tourism destination.
The delegation of 12 is led by Indian actor-director Bharat Dabholkar.
Speaking to New Vision after his arrival last week, Dabholkar said: “There is a lot here as we have been told and are going to see. Many Indians travel around the world. They need to know about Uganda so that they can be interested to come here.”
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Asked if India’s filmmakers would want to work with Ugandan actors and produce films in Uganda, he said: “If we can get subsidies for making films here. It will also help promote Uganda as a tourist destination among Indians.”
The subsidies, he told New Vision, could be in the form of accommodation and equipment.
Uganda’s state minister for tourism Godfrey Kiwanda said Uganda isn’t performing up to its potential in the tourism sector because of the lack of marketing.
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“We have many tourism attractions but have been attracting very less tourists as compared to countries that don’t even have half of what we have,” he said. Uganda has a large variety of tourist attractions including mountains, lakes, river, forests and wildlife. As much as 50 per cent of the world’s mountain gorillas are found here.
The report cited a Uganda Bureau of Statistics report saying around 1.3 million people visit the country every year.
“Bollywood is looking forward to developing a working relationship with the Uganda film fraternity to actualise its filming aspirations in the country,” New Vision quoted Uganda High Commissioner to india Grace Akello as saying.
Noted film producer is also part of the delegation, the report added.
