Analysis of tourism products and services marketed by Tourism Associations, A case study of Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA) and Uganda Community Tourism Association (UCOTA) Kampala.

Abstract

This study analyzed tourism products and services marketed by tourism associations (Uganda Hotel Owners Association and Uganda Community Tourism Associations). It was guided by the following objectives; to identify tourism products and services marketed by UHOA and UCOTA in Uganda. To examine the channels through which Uganda hotel owners associations and Uganda community tourism association use to market tourism products and services and to examine the challenges to promoting such tourism products and services. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software. The study findings revealed different tourism products and services such as accommodation facilities especially hotels, food and beverages well as conference facilities and events and transport services on the other hand services marketed by UCOTA included dance and dram, cultural activities and attractions, crafts and community eco lodges . Different channels are used to market these products and services such as; online marketing, websites and emails, and brochures, flyers, leaflets and business cards, social media and international trade fairs and exhibition as major marketing channels for marketing of products and services. Production of a bi-monthly newsletter and brochures was found to be major channels used by UCOTA. Challenges such as marketing costs being high, tour operators lacking marketing skills, techniques and poor website content. The issue of inadequacy of knowledge and skills were of concern among UCOTA Executive Committee and members. This hindered informed management and can lead to an imbalance of power favoring those members who are better educated and informed. It was from these findings that the study recommends that need to implement the efficient marketing feedback mechanisms for contacting their clients while promoting Uganda tourism products, marketing course programs should be conducted to facilitate better performance of Association members and staffs through hiring marketing professionals. This can be achieved through different seminars and conferences that tourism associations may sponsor themselves or the government and government should corporate on public private partnership organization (PPP) as the factor to reinforce marketing and promotion of tourism products in order to improve tourism marketing leads to tourism development and employment opportunities and economic growth.