Mirembe Beach Resort

Kalangala district, made up of 84 islands, attracts thousands of tourists every year because of its rich historical and cultural heritage, which include hosting the royal regalia in Bubembe and Bukasa shrines, the Luggo forest, home to tree species from which the Buganda royal mace is moulded. It also hosts Nanziri waterfalls, Wanema shrine on Bukasa island. 

Many tourists flock to Kalangala for forest walks, bird watching, boat cruises and picnics among other activities. Kalangala has over 100 hotels, inns and lodges located on various islands.  Before the outbreak of COVID-19, the hospitality centres used to charge between Shs 60,000 and Shs 800,000 for a single and deluxe rooms respectively during the peak season in December. During the off-peak season, hotels would charge between Shs 40,000 and Shs 700,000. 

However, most of them, including Victoria Forest Resort, Mirembe Beach Resort and Brovad Sands Lodge on Buggala island, have since cut prices. Victor Adala, the manager Victoria Resort, says the hotel has handled only local tourists since last month at an average between 20 and 30 people every week mainly for honeymoon and parties.            

The hotel has 40 rooms that can accommodate up to 100 people, a conference hall that can host 150 people while 120 people can gather in its boardroom. The hotel will, however, host its first conference meeting in early December.               

Mirembe Beach Resort has been receiving between 10 and 15 guests weekly majority over the weekends at reduced rates from Shs 400,000 to Shs 200,000 for its 50 rooms.            

Meanwhile, Eric Kakuru, the guest relations manager Brovad, says the hotel has been receiving about 20 guests every weekend 10 to 12 visitors. The hotel has 40 rooms. Kakuru says the hotel has cut prices for bed and accommodation to $52 from $65 and $82 from $100 for bed, breakfast and dinner.        

Kakuru, however, says that come December, the hotel will hike rates to between $155 and $225 per room because of increasing demand and bookings made so far. By Friday, only 10 rooms were left.                 

A one Esie, with her four friends held a birthday party near the beaches of Brovad Sands Lodge.  She says the group usually tours sites across the country but had never been to Kalangala. Meanwhile, Lim Choonmeng, former general manager of BIDCO (U) Ltd, was the only international tourist at Brovad.  

Choonmeng, Malaysian currently wors in Côte d’Ivoire and left BIDCO in 2013. He says he has been returning to Kalangala to visit his friends but also because of the good weather and attractive sites within the district and elsewhere in Uganda. He estimates to have spent over Shs 10 million during his three-week stay in Uganda.    

However, Adala says that the government needs to develop the sites to attract more local and foreigners because most of them including John Speke’s Cave don’t meet acceptable standards. 

“Where are the stories about these sites? For instance, why did Speke stay in that cave? Why did he leave? That is lacking at the moment,” Adala says.

Willy Lugoloobi, the LC V chairman Kalangala district agrees, saying majority of the sites are private. He says Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has commenced the processes of tarmacking Bugoma-Lutoboka and Mulabana roads, which are tourism infrastructural projects. 

Lugoloobi explains that the district council has waived local tax for the hotels until the end of the year because of the negative impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality sector.     

“That is our short term contribution towards reviving the dead tourism sector, Lugoloobi says, “Council generates between Shs 10 million to Shs 70 million every month in local tax levied on hospitality businesses.”Â