Nababi christine

During the Rwenzori Marathon, I found myself sleeping about 40km away from Kasese because accommodation was extremely limited. Almost everywhere I went, facilities were fully booked. Beyond finding accommodation for myself, I also helped arrange and host over 56 beds across different accommodation facilities around the national park. That experience opened my eyes to the enormous tourism and business opportunities that come with the Rwenzori Marathon. Next edition, I am changing the game. I am looking at creating a much bigger experience by hosting international visitors for at least two weeks, giving them an opportunity to explore more of Uganda beyond the marathon. My ambition is to use the marathon as a gateway to attract more foreign tourists, increase tourism spending and bring more foreign currency into our economy. We must stop looking at sporting events purely as competitions. They are also powerful platforms for destination marketing, hospitality, investment and economic growth. Imagine someone flying into Uganda for the marathon but staying for two weeks, exploring our national parks, sleeping in our hotels, eating our food, hiring our vehicles and experiencing our culture. That is how we turn sporting events into meaningful tourism opportunities and economic benefits for our communities. @wekesa_amos