UWA Showcases Uganda’s Wildlife Conservation Success at ITB Berlin

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) took centre stage at ITB Berlin on Wednesday, presenting the country’s conservation gains to an international audience of tour operators, investors and travel industry leaders at the world’s largest tourism expo.

UWA Executive Director Dr. James Musinguzi said tourism revenue has been central to the recovery of species that were once disappearing from Uganda’s landscapes, including the white rhino, which was wiped out in the wild before structured breeding programmes and tightened protection measures brought it back.

“The restoration of the White Rhino population and the protection of our primates are the result of sustained conservation investment supported significantly by tourism income,” Dr. Musinguzi said. “Tourism provides critical funding for ranger deployment, habitat management, and community engagement.”

Uganda is home to more than half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda, as well as one of Africa’s largest chimpanzee populations in Kibale National Park. Revenue from gorilla trekking permits, park entry fees and safari tourism is channelled back into protected area management, anti-poaching operations and habitat restoration.

Uganda Tourism Board Chief Executive Juliana Kagwa, who is leading the national delegation in Berlin, said the country’s conservation record was no accident. “The recovery of the White Rhino and the steady growth of our Mountain Gorilla population demonstrate that when tourism is responsibly managed, it becomes a powerful force for conservation and community transformation,” she said.

Communities living around Uganda’s national parks receive a share of tourism revenue through government-managed arrangements and participate in tourism enterprises linked to wildlife protection. Officials say this has reduced human-wildlife conflict and given local populations a direct economic interest in keeping animals alive.

Commissioner of Tourism Lyazi Vivian said the approach reflects deliberate government policy. “Uganda’s tourism strategy is anchored in sustainability and inclusive growth. Our policies prioritise conservation, climate resilience, and community benefit-sharing,” he said.

The Uganda delegation at ITB Berlin also enanged international media, tour operators and investors on the country’s conservation model and sustainable tourism investment opportunities.