Due to the increased exclusive rights of a few hoteliers in the country’s three major national parks, the Ugandan government has allowed in more investors. The Tourism Minister, Kahinda Otafiire has listed the 3 parks to be Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park.
The Queen Elizabeth Park in western Uganda has a total ares of 2,000 sq m, Murchison Falls, which lies in Gulu and Masindi, has a total area of 3840 sq km, while Kidepo in Karamoja is 1442 sq km wide.
It has been noted that The Madhvani Group is the biggest concessionaire with a hotel in Queen Elizabeth National Park and 2 in Murchison Falls National Park. Others are Mweya Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, while Paraa Safari Lodge, Sambiya Lodge and Sambiya River Banda, Red Chilli Rest Camp, and Chobe Lodge, which are expected to be operational next month, are in Murchison Falls. All other providers are situated outside the parks due to the exclusive rights agreement.
The Serena Group of Hotels, which owns 2 hotels, one in the city centre and another at the shores of Lake Victoria in Kigo, wants to set up another in Murchison, according to Kigozi.