By Isaiah Jobs Rwanyekiro
In the world of entrepreneurship, success is often romanticized as an overnight phenomenon—a brilliant idea that transforms into a million-dollar venture with just a single stroke of genius. However, the reality is far from this illusion. True success in the entrepreneurial realm is a product of unwavering focus and determination sustained over time.
It is the relentless pursuit of one’s goals, day in and day out, that sets the foundation for triumph. This is why GRIT and discipline are of paramount importance to any aspiring entrepreneur.
For example, we started promoting domestic tourism in Uganda as far back as 2011 and later on in 2013 we brought in Marlina Moreno and for the first time managed to shine a huge spotlight on Mt. Rwenzori.
At that time, industry stakeholders like Herbert Byaruhanga and many others laughed and scoffed at us and said Ugandans could never travel and that they would rather drink their ka money in Kampala bars.
However, we started with and did our drives based on the coalition of the willing. As luck would have it, some few open-minded individuals like Hon. Kiwanda and later Madam Permanent Secretary Doreen Silva Katusiime (Mrs) and hotel owners like Peter Kajura of Kabalega Resorts and some people in UWA like Raymond Engena gave us then a listening ear. We had some ambassadors in UTB like Comrade John Ssempebwa who not only supported us but were always more than willing even to attend and spearhead our campaigns in the media.
So today, when we launched with Hon. Martin Bahinduka, the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities in collaboration with Miss Uganda Foundation and Breathtaking Uganda, a leading domestic tourism promotion social enterprise the grand promotional tour of Pian Upe and Lokichar wildlife reserves and Moroto in Karamoja sub-region, I couldn’t but look back and feel actually very pensive and choked up.
That is why when I was beginning to speak at the press conference at the Uganda Media Centre, I was choking up and feeling very emotional especially when I got to learn that our press conference was being relayed live on Uganda’s number one television NBS TV.
For me, more than any other signal, this was a very clear endorsement and indication that we are finally perhaps in that respectable space as far as our campaigns for domestic tourism promotion are concerned. Now that we are actually in terms of visitor numbers to every tourism asset in Uganda contributing over 80% I guess it’s time the industry stakeholders accepted that we are here to stay and should officially reserve for us a seat at the high table of tourism in Uganda.
Having said that, I want to invite you all to come and join us for the Pian Upe and Lokichar game reserves tours scheduled for Thursday 30th November to 3rd December, 2023.
Whereas previous campaigns were hinged on visiting main or major national parks, the unique thing about this is that we are finally onboarding even game reserves as places worthy of domestic tourism in Uganda.
For me, this is tectonic shift away from the old tired destinations of Kampala – Queen Elizabeth, Kampala – Murchison Falls or Kampala-Kidepo. It means we are now widening and deepening the tourism assets that can be meaningfully consumed away from the old have beens.
Isaiah Jobs Rwanyekiro is the CEO and Founder of Breathtaking Uganda housed at Plot 6/6A Nile Avenue, Grand Imperial Hotel.Shopping Mall Suite No. 25, 2nd Floor, P.O.Box 5184, Kampala, Uganda. He can be reached on email info@breathtakinguganda.com or web: www.breathtakinguganda.com or telephone number +256776222262