Jinja hotels are not classified to host international conferences
Hotels in Jinja City, according to the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), aren’t appealing enough to hold national and international conferences.
According to the UTB, the official statutory government organization tasked with destination marketing and quality control of Uganda’s tourism facilities, none of the hotel establishments in Jinja City have received their three-star designation.
According to Mr. Bradford Ochieng, deputy chief executive officer of UTB, assessors from the East African Community (EAC) and the UTB rate and classify based on a variety of criteria.
These consist of a typical kitchen, guest rooms, conference spaces, a health center, an exercise center, a swimming pool, security, gardens, a sports area, business suites, and the kind of food that is served. The staff should also be professional and well-groomed.
Mr. Ochieng disclosed that although they would like to host conferences at Jinja on several occasions, their search yields no three-star hotel meeting EAC standards.
Mr. Ochieng claims that in order to host international conferences, a hotel must have a minimum of three stars, which Jinja hotels are purportedly lacking since their owners are allegedly unable to meet the standards for grading classification in order to host both national and international conferences.
Though he acknowledged that hotel ratings and classifications are “an added value,” former UTB chairman Mr. Daudi Migereko said that this does not preclude Jinja City from hosting an international conference.
According to Mr. Migereko, however much many facilities that satisfy international standards are not rated or classified in Jinja. Certain international conferences are concerned with whether a venue offers adequate lodging, delicious food, and other amenities. A few of the venues here satisfy these requirements.
Mr. Nasser Ashraf, the Mayor of Jinja South Division urges hotels in Jinja to collaborate with investors in order to develop amenities and draw in foreign conferences.
In addition to rating and categorizing hotels to meet three star standards, the Buyende District Tourism Officer, Ms. Judith Bitali, stated that the caliber of employees should also be taken into account, noting that the majority of hotel staff are not professionals.
She claimed that the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) Jinja is in a good position to produce top-notch professionals for the hotel and tourism industries.
With the world bank funding the construction of the three-star Crowned Crane Hotel, which is being built by Roko Construction Ltd. at a cost of Sh24.5 billion, there is cause for optimism in the wake of the shocking revelation about Jinja City.
According to Mr. Daniel Kazungu, the public relations officer for the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, the hotel has 82 rooms that meet EAC and international standards.
