Makerere University as a potential heritage tourism site

Abstract

The study was carried out to analyze the heritage tourism potentials in Makerere University. It was guided by objectives; to identify categorize and document heritage sites in Makerere University, to identify potential tourism facilities in Makerere University to support heritage tourism in Uganda and to examine the challenges of developing Makerere University as heritage site. A semi structured questionnaire was administered to 50 randomly selected respondents and 3 questionnaires to University staff who were selected purposively. Findings were later analyzed with the aid of a computer package SPSS to attach the meaning. The study established that Makerere University has various categories of heritage sites such as historical buildings, monumental designs, archeological designs and historical statues. The study too revealed heritage tourism attractions such as Main building, Main library, religious monuments, and statues in halls of residence. Lastly the study established challenges associated with the University which included limited funds to develop the sites, limited documentation about heritage of the University, lack of knowledgeable guides’ e.t.c. Based on these findings , the study recommends the need to develop heritage tourism products in the University to increase on the number of tourists visiting, there should be need for a heritage tourism management such as (Makerere University Tourism Association) MUTA in the university to partner with the association of Uganda Tourism Board such that Makerere University can be marketed as single destination with the rest of the tourism attraction in the country by UTB, tour operators should also be alerted of the heritage sites such that they can always take tourists to the sites and this would increase the visitation.