ASSESSMENT OF UGANDA GOVERNMENT ‘S CONTRIBUTION TO

TOURISM TRAINING INSTITUTIONS IN UGANDA:

A CASE STUDY OF THE HOTEL AND TOURISM TRAINING INSTITUTE
JINJA

GWIINA CAROLINE

BTM116480171/DU

RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTEDTO THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND

MANAGEMENT IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF A BACHELOR’S DEGREE OF TOURISM AND
HOTEL MANAGEMENT AT KAMPALA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY

SUPERVISOR: DR. NUWE JOHN BOSCO

SEPTEMBER, 2010
 Declaration

I Gwiina Caroline declare that “Assessment of Uganda government ~s’ contribution to

tourism training institutions: A case study of the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute,
Jinja” is my original work except where acknowledged and to the best of my knowledge
it has not been submitted to any other institution for the award of a degree

Signature

Date
 Approval

This research report has been submitted for examination with my approval as the
candidate’s supervisor.

DR. NUWE JOHN BO.. CO (BSc, MSc, PhD (Environmental economics).

Signature

Date ~ .~
 Dedication

This work is dedicated to my family and friends who are always supportive. It is also
dedicated to all those who have been my teachers from the day I first went to school until
now.

111
 Acknowledgements

My sincerest appreciation goes to the following for their invaluable help and support
during the course of the research work: My supervisor, Dr. Nuwe John Bosco, students
and Staff of the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute Jinj a, the Uganda Wildlife
Authority and Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry for letting me use their resource
centers, the staff and management of Great Lakes Safaris, Great Safari Places, Holiday
Express Hotel, Tourist Hotel Limited, Platinum Tours and Travel, Le Chateau and B and
S travel and tours. I also thank my family and friends for all their support, without which
I could not have made it this far.

iv
 Table of contents

Declaration
Approval ii
Dedication
Acknowledgements iv
Table of contents v
List of Abbreviations vii
List of figures viii
Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

1.0 Background 1
1.1 Overview of the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (HTTI) 3
1.2 Statement of the problem 4
1.3 Purpose of the study 6
1.4 Objectives of the study 6
1.5 Scope of the study 7
1.6 Significance of the study 7

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.0 Background 8
2.1 Tourism policy on human resource development 11
2.1.1 Limitations to the private sector’s role in tourism human resource development..12
2.2 Current state of tourism human resources in Uganda 13

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 18

3.0 Research design 18
3.1 Sampling procedure 18
3.2 Sample 18
3.3 Instruments 20
3.4 Procedure 20
3.5 Limitations 21
3.6 Data analysis 22

CHAPTER FOUR:FINDINGS, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 23

4.0 Findings 23
4.1 Government’s contribution to HTTI 23
4.8 Recommendations from HTTI administrator on how government can improve
tourism training in the Institute 36
4.9 Recommendations from respondents on how government can improve tourism
training in the country as a whole 37

v
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 39
5.0 Conclusions 39
5.1 Recommendations 40

REFERENCES 43
Appendix I: Sample questionnaire for administrators in HTTI 46
Appendix II: Sample questionnaire for students 50
Appendix III: Interview questions for Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry
representative 53
Appendix IV: Sample questionnaire for professionals 54
Appendix V: Interview questions for tour and travel operator 57
Appendix VI: Budget 58

vi
 List of Abbreviations

AHSSA Association of Hotel Schools in Sub Saharan Africa

AUTO Association of Uganda Tour Operators
EU European Union
HCAU Hotel and Catering Association of Uganda
HTTI Hotel and Tourism Training Institute
ILO International Labor Organisation
JAB Joint Admissions Board
JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency
MTTI Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry
MTWA Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities
PAMSU Protected Areas Management and Sustainable Use
PUJAB Public Universities Joint Admissions Board
TPDP Tourism Promotion Development Plan
UATTI Uganda Association of Tourism Training Institutes
UHOA Uganda Hotel Owner’s Association
UIA Uganda Investment Authority
UK United Kingdom
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
USA United States of America
UTA Uganda Tourism Association
UTPTF Uganda Tourism Promotion Task Force
WAHTTI World Association of Hospitality and Tourism Training Institutions
WTO World Tourism Organisation
YMCA Young Men’s Christian Association
YWCA Young Women’s Christian Association

vii
 List of figures

Figure 1: Pie-chart showing sources of income for HTTI and the percentage contributed
to the annual budget 25

Figure 2: Pie-chart showing awareness of government contribution to HTTI among

students 27

Figure 3: Pie-chart showing students’ opinion on sufficiency of government contribution

to HTTJ 28

Figure 4: Table showing challenges facing students 31

Figure 5: Table showing frequency of occurrence of each response as a challenge 32

Figure 6: Pie-chart showing managers’ opinion of graduates from Uganda’s tourism

training institutions 34

Figure 7: Table showing skills considered to be lacking in graduates from Uganda’s

tourism training institutions 35

viii
 Abstract

Tourism is one of the world’s leading industries, and it contributes greatly to Uganda’s
economy. Like all service industries, the quality of service offered is vital for favorable
competition in the world market, and quality service delivery depends on the level of
training and professionalism of the service providers.

Tourism is also a practical field with high costs of training which raises the overall cost
of pursuing an education in tourism. In Uganda in particular, the cost of education is
increasing every year, especially at higher levels of learning. This high cost of training
makes government contribution to tourism training necessary for development of a
skilled workforce in the industry.

This study examines the government’s contribution to the Hotel and Tourism Training
Institute of Jinja, which is the only public institution established by MTTI to offer
training in hotel and tourism studies. This study examines the government’s contribution
to the institute, identifies various government policies aimed at facilitating it, examines
the challenges facing the institute and also provides recommendations from different
stakeholders in HTTI and the wider tourism industry on what can be done to overcome
those challenges and improve upon the training of students pursuing tourism studies in
the Institute and the Uganda as a whole.

ix
 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background

Tourism is one of Uganda’s leading exports with many positive effects on the country’s
economy which include contribution to the gross national product, foreign exchange
earnings, balance of payments, provision of employment opportunities and government
revenue through taxes, regional income distribution and investment. Other benefits of
tourism to Uganda include better international relations with tourist generating countries
and better appreciation and conservation of natural and cultural resources (MTTI, 2003).

In 2004, tourism contributed an estimated 8.2% to the country’s gross domestic product
which is approximately 3million dollars.Export earnings from international visitors and
tourism goods were worth an estimated $ 400million. Furthermore, the industry provides
about 7% of the total employment to people across a broad range of skills, from the semi
literate to highly educated (MTTI, 2005).

Even with the positive upward trend however, Uganda’s tourism industry is yet to
achieve its full potential. In fact, Uganda’s tourism industry is still the least developed
compared to Kenya and Tanzania.

A number of reasons account for Uganda’s continued mediocrity in the tourism industry.
These include insecurity, poor access from some areas in the world, poor marketing
techniques, perceived lack of value for money, poor service delivery and the country’s
poor image. The fact that Uganda has very few properly trained professionals in the
tourism field also accounts greatly for the poor service delivery and the perceived lack of
value for money (MTTI, 2005).

1
Tourism is a service industry to the core and involves creating a positive experience for a
customer, who in most cases has travelled far and spent a lot just to be impressed. This
calls for high standards of service delivery and customer care, which are unfortunately
still lacking.

As a country benefiting from tourism, it is important for the government of Uganda to

take a more active role in the development of skills for the tourism industry as a way of
boosting its growth and development. This involvement should extend beyond mere
policy making, to actual tangible contribution.

This study is intended to examine the various ways in which Uganda’s government is
contributing to tourism training institutions as a way of developing the tourism human
resource base in the country and the tourism industry as a whole.

The study will focus on the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Jinja, which is the only
public institution specialising in hotel and tourism courses at certificate and diploma
levels.

2
1.1 Overview of the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (HTTI)

The Hotel and Tourism Training Institute is located in Jinja, about 80kms from Kampala.
It was established in the early 1980’s as the Uganda Hotel, Catering and Tourism
Institute (UHCTI) afier a feasibility study under the UNDP/ILO/UG/3 0 project. The
institute was first established at Fairway Hotel in Kampala in 1989 as a pilot school under
the project. In 1991, Fairway Hotel was repossessed by its owners and the ILO/UNDP
pulled out of the project, leaving it entirely to the Ugandan government.
In September 1994, the government enacted a statute in which it established the present
Hotel and Tourism Training Institute and transferred the former Crested Crane Hotel and
all its assets to the new Institute.

Training at the new institute resumed in 1994 with new management under the Ministry
of Wildlife and Antiquities. However, the 1994 statute was replaced by section 130, sub
sections 1 and 2 of the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act of April 2001
which commenced on the 6th of April 2001. The management of the Institute was later
transferred to the Ministry of Education and Sports and was upgraded during phase one
of the World Bank PAMSU project.

In November 2007, following a cabinet directive, management of HTTI was again

transferred to MTTI as its parent ministry, and the ministry continues to oversee the top
management and decision making of the institute.

HTTI offers programs including food production, hotel operations, front office operations
housekeeping, food and beverage service, management and leadership skills, culinary art
and food safety, entrepreneurship skills, pastry and bakery. These programs are available
at diploma and certificate levels and the study sessions include part time, evening and in
service basis for both national and international students.

3
Since its inception, HTTI has trained over 7000 students, and is recognized across the
region as a center for hospitality training. The institute is a member of organizations such
as Uganda Association of Tourism Training Institutes (UATTI) under the umbrella of
Uganda Tourism Association (UTA), Hotel and Catering Association of Uganda
(HCAU), Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA), Association of Hotel Schools in
Sub Saharan Africa (AHSSA) and the World Association of Hospitality and Tourism
(WAHTTI).
(www.btvet-uganda.com, http://www.btvet-uganda.org/training-provider/homepages/htti,
HTTI brochure, 2010)

1.2 Statement of the problem

The tourism industry is primarily a service industry which involves dealing directly with
individuals paying highly for a good experience. For a country to develop its tourism
industry therefore, effort and resources have to be set aside specifically to develop the
human resources in the industry so that they can offer the best possible service.

The government of Uganda is putting some effort to developing the county’s tourism
industry, but the greatest focus has been on areas like transport, accommodation,
conservation and security. Little effort has been put into establishing and facilitating
institutions to train professionals for the industry. If tourist arrivals to Uganda continue to
rise annually as is the general trend currently, the country is faced with an impending
disaster, whereby there will be many tourists, but not enough trained professionals to
offer them quality service. The result will be a reversal in the positive growth trend.

4
Training in tourism related courses is unique because of the different nature of the
courses. A lot of practical work is required alongside the classroom theory, and this
requires institutions to have the relevant infrastructure to offer the practical training. Most
existing institutions do not have this infrastructure and those that do, charge very high
fees. This adds an extra cost to the already high cost of education in the country. As a
result, very few people can afford to study tourism courses, and those who do, end up
with more theory and less practical skills due to the lack of practical experience during
their training. The country therefore produces many graduates with excellent degrees, but
lacking the practical skills needed to offer quality service in the industry.

Tourism related courses also require a minimum internship period of about three months
with a related organization to acquire hands on experience and professional skills.
However, most establishments which would offer this kind of internship training are
privately owned, and the owners are reluctant to take on students as interns. The few who
are able to get places for internship, mostly in hotel related fields find themselves over
worked and not given an opportunity to explore their abilities.

The above mentioned issues highlight the difficulty of pursuing a career in tourism both
in terms of costs, availability of institutions and opportunities to acquire practical skills.
These difficulties make it imperative for the government to contribute directly to tourism
training institutions as a way of developing this very vital industry. The continued
existence of the same difficulties in tourism training over the years since the revival of
the tourism industry in Uganda seem to indicate, that perhaps not enough is being done to
support the training of tourism professionals.

5
 The question therefore is, since the govermnent is a major beneficiary of the tourism
industry in Uganda, in which ways is it contributing to tourism training institutions, in
particular the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, as a way of developing the tourism
human resource base in the country and the tourism industry as whole?

1.3 Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to identify the various forms of government contribution in
terms of policy, financial or material assistance being provided to the Hotel and Tourism
Training Institute as a way of developing the tourism human resources in the country.

The study will also identify the various challenges facing the institute and provide
recommendations on what should be done to develop tourism human resources for the
country.

1.4 Objectives of the study

1. To identify the government policies which are aimed at facilitating HTTI to carry out
training in tourism related courses.
2. To identify the resources being availed to the institute by government for tourism training
purposes.
3. To establish the challenges faced by the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute as a
tourism training institution.
4. To make recommendations on how best the government can contribute to the institute so
as to enable it overcome its challenges and continue to provide quality training in tourism
related courses.

6
L5 Scope of the study

This study will focus on identifying Uganda government’s contribution to the Hotel and
Tourism Training Institute, as a representative of all other government aided tourism
training institutions. Only contributions that are specifically aimed at facilitating tourism
training will be studied. Other forms of contribution which may not be directly aimed at
enhancing tourism training but may do so will not be considered.

The courses considered to be tourism courses in this study are limited to those
specifically involved with the core components of the tourism industry which are
accommodation, transport and attractions. Such courses include those related to tourism
management, park and wildlife management, game management, hotel management,
catering, air transport related courses to mention a few. Other courses concerning fields
related to tourism like banking and insurance will not be considered in the study, and
government contribution to training in such courses will not be investigated.

1.6 Significance of the study

The findings of this study will be useful in informing Uganda’s government and other
tourism training institutions of the various challenges facing tourism training institutions
in Uganda. It will also provide recommendations on the steps to be taken to overcome
those challenges and hence improve the quality of tourism human resources in the
country. Finally, this study is part of the requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree in
Tourism and Hotel Management at Kampala International University.

7
 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Background

According to Holloway (1994), countries in which tourism is a significant economic

activity and were it is only still developing need more government involvement in the
tourism industry alongside the private sector. This involvement should encompass the
basic functions of planning, coordinating, regulationllegislation, facilitation and
promotion while extending to the establishment of quality training institutions.

Holloway also points out that in lesser developed countries, of which Uganda is an
example, government investment in the tourism industry is vital because the private
sector may not have sufficient resources to do so, and international investors may be only
interested in stable economies and profitable ventures. Establishment and operation of a
tourism training institution is also a costly venture and the private sector is therefore not
always willing to make such an investment. The government hence has to take up this
responsibility and pioneer in establishing quality training institutions for the tourism
industry.

Costas et al (2003) suggest that governments need to promote and develop educational
programs to enhance awareness about nature conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity. This is an essential element of training in any tourism profession and the
government has the responsibility of creating these educational programs which are then
merged into the curriculum for tourism students.

8
The International Labor Organisation, in the 31~1 tripartite technical meeting for hotels,
restaurants and similar establishments in 1983 pointed out that alongside workers’
organisations and employer’s associations, governments also have a role to play in
tourism training.

It also suggested that since most training courses available in developed countries like the
United Kingdom and the United States of America are not always suited to the specific
needs of a given country, individual governments need to develop tourism training
curricula and institutions which meet the specific needs and challenges of the country.

The International Labor Organisation also recognized that worldwide, the cost of training
in tourism is very high. This poses a particular challenge for individuals in developing
countries where income levels are generally low. Also, since the privatization of Uganda
Hotels, there are no more scholarships for students pursuing courses in the hotel field,
and very few exist at lower levels for those studying other tourism courses. It is the role
of government to provide scholarships to students who may have financial difficulties but
excel academically and are interested in tourism courses. The provision of scholarships
may also encourage more students to pursue courses in tourism, who may have otherwise
opted for other courses.

The Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda Investment Authority and
Uganda Tourism Promotion Task Force in the report on the workshop to re-launch
tourism in Uganda in 1994 recognized education and training as one of the major
challenges for tourism development in Uganda.

9
The Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, in the Protected Areas Management
and Sustainable Use project (PAMSU) recognized that aside from other infrastructure
like transport and accommodation, human resources must be put in place for the tourism
industry to achieve its full potential. The report recognized that training was being given
low priority by Uganda National Parks (now Uganda Wildlife Authority), and yet it
should be an integral part of the organisation, not just a side issue or activity in a single
individual’s career (MTTI, 1996).

Frangialli (1997), former vice president of the WTO observed that developing and
improving human resources is a challenge that has to be overcome to ensure tourism
growth. He points out that human resources could be the single most important issue
facing tourism operators, especially those from developing countries due to the increased
rate of tourism growth. His observations can be summed up in his quote: “Quality in the
tourism industry must be present at all levels. Quality can be given another name, that
name is education.”

To maximize its potential as a tourism destination for both regional and international
tourists, Uganda has to improve government training programs in tourism and also
improve on the existing curriculum to include a wider range of content including major
international languages and more practical work.

10
2J Tourism policy on human resource development

The Ministry of Tourism Trade and Industry’s Tourism Policy for Uganda (2003)
includes various sections on training. Concerning the responsibility for tourism training,
the tourism policy spells out that it is to be led by the private sector under a regulatory
framework set by government. The market is to lead the training and ownership is to be
left to the private sector but under regulation by public institutions. Training for specific
programs and activities is also to be self-financing.

The policy also points out that institutional training shall focus on the existing needs and
proper curricula is to be developed in close links with the tourism sector. Tailor made
training courses are to be provided which focus on the manpower needs in the market.

There is also provision for in house training and training of trainers to improve the
overall staff possibilities.

Specifically concerning the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, the policy states that it
is to be operated closely with links to private sector to improve the institutions financial
state.

Quality of training is also to be improved through introduction of a certification, diploma

and accreditation system.

It is clear from the above policy statements that the policy focuses on the private sector to
take the leading role in tourism training. However, the private sector in its current state
faces many challenges which make it unable for it to take on such a key role.

11
 2,L1 Limitations to the private sector’s role in tourism human resource
development

From the tourism policy, it is evident that although the government recognizes the human
resource development needs in the country’s tourism industry, it leaves the greatest
responsibility to the private sector (MTTJ, 2003). The policy also does not clearly spell
out specific activities to be undertaken by the government in promoting tourism human
resource development. This indicates potential difficulties during its implementation.

Focusing on the private sector to take on the greatest role in tourism training would be a
viable solution. However, for Uganda’s case, this is not a very good approach because the
private sector has a number of weaknesses which are discussed below:

According to the Ministry of Tourism Trade and Industry and the European Union, the
private sector in Uganda is very weak, and the public sector institutions like the ministry
itself, Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Wildlife Authority also face considerable
financial constraints. The Uganda Tourism Board in particular is nearly obsolete in
matters pertaining to training and does not act effectively as a mouthpiece for private
sector associations. Other sub sector institutions like Association of Uganda Tour
Operators and the Hotel and Caterers Association of Uganda are also inactive and enjoy
little industry support (MTTI, 2001).

Most private sector operators also face financial difficulties which have hindered
investment in training, both of existing staff and new recruits, despite the ever changing
business and technology environment. The private sector in Uganda generally has limited
access to credit finance and financial institutions do not effectively serve entrepreneurs in
tourism specific businesses. In addition, the sector lacks manpower, institutional capacity
and a regulatory body to oversee training and other standards (MTTI, 2001).

12
These challenges render the private sector incapable of effectively carrying out the
fundamental role of spearheading training in tourism as called for by the tourism policy
document. It means therefore, that the policy has to be re-evaluated in light of the current
state of the private sector in Uganda, and more responsibility should be taken up by
government.

2.2 Current state of tourism human resources in Uganda

In a workshop held on re-launching tourism in Uganda, the participants recognized that

the available training and standards in the industry were detrimental to the otherwise
smooth growth of the industry and that HTTI should widen its scope to include courses in
tourism operations and driving/guiding (MTWA, 1994).

According to the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry in the Uganda National
Tourism Competitiveness Plan (2005), there is lack of trained human resources in the
tourism industry, and the training facilities are inadequate. There is only one public sector
institution specialising in hotel and tourism courses, which is the Hotel, Tourism and
Training Institute in Jinja. However, Makerere University and other universities offer
some tourism courses. These other universities include Nkumba University, Kampala
International University and Makerere University Business School. Private institutions
offering tourism courses include the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA),
Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Jimmy Sekasi Institute of Catering,
The Career Institute and many other smaller institutions.
Most of these institutions are located in and around Kampala, which creates a gap for the
up country areas in which most of the tourism facilities like National Parks are located.

13
The plan also points out that there are human resource requirements across all segments
in such vital areas like customer care, client handling and food preparation. Practical
experience during the training is also required because industry professionals have
observed that most graduates receive a lot of theoretical knowledge and are unprepared
for the practical side of the industry when they get employed (MTTI, 2005).

The Tourism Policy (2003) also recognizes that the service level within the tourism
industry in Uganda is low and below international and regional standards and manpower
capabilities and the professionalism of staff is not adequate to ensure sector growth.

The WTO in the Integrated Tourism Master Plan of 1993 also identified a great need for
training in tourism courses especially at higher postgraduate levels. In Uganda, the
majority of professionals have certificates or diplomas, and a few have bachelors or
master’s degrees. There are very few professionals with higher qualifications, which has
led to a shortage of expert specialists and trainers in the various tourism fields (MTWA,
1993).

In a tourism sector status report published by IJNDP it was found that the training
institutions, both public and private do not match internationally acceptable tourism
school standards. They lack equipment for practical training and are therefore able to
teach only the theoretical aspects of the course.

According to the same report, those private institutions which offer a practical aspect of
the courses only focus on catering and ignore other courses like tour guiding and travel
management. The report also pointed out the need for a regulating body to oversee the
standards of both public and private institutions to ensure that quality graduates are
produced (UNDP, 1999).

14
A survey report on tourist expenditure and motivation by the Ministry of Tourism Trade
and Industry in 2001 indicated that a significant number of tourists found the services
they received unsatisfactory and the hospitality poor. Tourists also felt that more guides
and multi lingual training of tourism professionals were needed (MTTI, 2001).

It is clearly evident therefore, that Uganda’s tourism human resource base is not
competitive to the world standard. However there has been some contribution by the
government towards tourism training in the country.

At the initial stage of re-development of the industry, officials from the then Ministry of
Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities were sponsored for further post graduate studies in
tourism management and were awarded fellowships after the period of study. They all
returned to take up key posts in the ministry (MTWA, 1994).

In key tourism documents like the Tourism Promotion and Development Project (TPDP)
of 1994, the government recognizes the need for tourism human resource development
and devotes an entire component of the project to institution and capacity building. In the
project, the government sets specific objectives like preparation and refinement of
academic programs for HTTI, physical development of the site to include a small but
good quality and commercially based hotel, restaurant and better classes so as to improve
the over 50year old existing property and technical assistance and faculty training.

A permanent site was also allocated for the establishment of Uganda Hotel Catering and
Tourism Institute in Jinja, which was later, renamed the Hotel and Tourism Training
Institute. The government provided Crested Crane Hotel, Jinja, by then a 3-star hotel as
the training hotel and constructed additional classroom and administrative structures.
The objective of the institute was to offer training in hotel, tour and travel operations and
basic level tourism management at certificate and diploma level (MTWA, 1993).

15
However, in a report presented to the World Bank by the Tourism Promotion and
Development Project (1994), it was identified that Uganda Hotel and Catering Training
Institute, (now HTTI) had insufficient staff, very few buildings, obsolete equipment and
was not suitably designed to serve as a training institution.

The institute also faces challenges in the area of financial facilitation. Since it is a
government operated institution under the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, it is
expected to receive a considerable amount of its funding needs from the government.
However, the government provides insufficient funds to the institution. This may be due
to the fact the tourism ministry as a whole receives a very small percentage of the overall
budget share of the country (MTTI, 1999).

Often times, the Institute has challenges because the government does not provide the full
amounts required as per the budget. When the budget is presented for approval, the
Institute receives up to 50% less of the estimated amount and this makes operations
difficult. The assumption by the government is that fees collected from the students and
other institutional activities like hotel operations may contribute significantly to the
budget, however, student numbers are not sufficient to cover the remaining 50% of the
budget which the government fails to provide (MTTI, 1999).

Even when the funds are provided, there are great delays between requisition of funds
and release of funds to the Institute. This could be due to the bureaucracy involved. These
long delays between requisition and receipt of funds pose operational challenges to the
Institute because it has to find ways to operate even when the necessary finances are not
available. The environment at the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute’s training hotel
(Crested Crane Hotel, Jinja) also does not meet the current trends in the industry because
it has not been upgraded from the time of its establishment in the 1980’s (MTTI, 1999).

16
Other challenges facing HTTI include insufficient numbers of staff to train the students
due to the general lack of tourism specialists in the country, badly designed curriculum
which is not harmonized to all institutions and the absence of an overall body to control
examinations and standards in the institution ([JNDP, 1999).

The Tourism Sector Status Report published by the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and
Industry in 1999 also identified specific challenges facing tourism training institutions in
Uganda in general. These include lack of adequate kitchen and accommodation facilities
required for practical training by students, insufficient space for basic facilities like
classrooms and laboratories.

In institutions were facilities are available, the numbers are insufficient to offer enough
practice for all the students. For example, in most institutions, cookery lessons are only
carried out by the teacher during lessons and students can not touch and use the
equipment for themselves.

The Integrated Tourism Master Plan of 1993 points out that specialized diploma and
degree level courses require expert staff and equipment, which are not available in most
of the country’s tourism training institutions (MTTI, 1993).

The technology within most of these institutions, even HTTI, is not up to date to meet the
needs of the dynamic technology present in today’s hotel and tourism industry. Students
therefore do not receive sufficient exposure to the various technologies they will meet in
today’s tourism industry.

17
 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0 Research design

The research was designed as a case study focusing on the Hotel and Tourism Training
Institute which is the largest and only public institution under the Ministry of Tourism,
Trade and Industry specialising in tourism training. The institute was studied as a
representative of all other institutions providing training in tourism and related courses.

The research was largely qualitative in nature but with quantitative components. It
involved identifying the opinions of people within the selected training institutions and
also gathering numerical data on the various forms of contributions especially financial
and material received from the government.

3.1 Sampling procedure

The Hotel and Tourism Training Institute was purposively chosen as a sample for this
study. This is because it is the only public funded institution offering training in hotel and
tourism and related courses. It was therefore a suitable sample for the study because it
was established by the government and is funded by it.

3.2 Sample

The study focused on the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Jinja. It was a suitable
sample because it is the only public sector institution under the Ministry of Tourism,
Trade and Industry specialising in providing training in tourism courses like catering and
hotel management at diploma and certificate levels. It caters for students at diploma and
certificate courses which represents the largest percentage of students studying tourism.

18
Unlike other institutions, it is located in Jinja which means it is more accessible to
students from more remote areas of the country in the Eastern and Northern regions.

Within the Institute, both the administrators and students were involved. Administrators
were selected because they are directly responsible for receiving any resources provided
to the institute and would therefore be aware of any contribution specifically made to the
institute from the government. They also have experience in training tourism students and
therefore have thorough knowledge of the various requirements involved in training
tourism students, challenges faced and how best they can be overcome.

Twenty students in the Institute were also selected randomly as respondents. Their
responses provided information on their opinions concerning the contribution of the
government to their training and their recommendations on what more the government
should do to improve tourism training in their institutions.

A representative from the Tourism Development Commissioner’s office from the

Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry was also involved so that information could be
obtained on the resources, financial or material which are set aside by the ministry
specifically for purposes of tourism training.

Ten professionals in the industry from the hotel and tourism sectors were part of the
respondents so that information could be got from them concerning the levels of training
they attained, the basic skills needed for them to perform routine duties, prevailing
conditions in the tourism field and other relevant information.

The same number of managers, still from the hotel and tourism sectors of the sample so
that an employer’s perspective could be attained on the human resource needs in
Uganda’s tourism industry.

19
The professionals and managers were randomly selected from within Kampala.

3.3 Instruments

During the data collection process, questionnaires and interviews were used to gather the
information needed. These two tools were selected because they complement each other
and offer more balanced content in the information. For respondents who were too busy
to fill in questionnaires like ministry officials, face to face interviews were used however,
the interview questions were aimed at gathering the same information as that in the
questionnaire.

The questionnaires contained both open ended and yes/no questions. They were divided
into different sections, with a section to include general information about the respondent,
another section for open ended questions aimed at getting the respondent’s opinions on
the topic and the last section which included questions aimed at identifying the
challenges facing tourism training institutions and tourism students and recommendations
on how best to improve the tourism human resource base in Uganda.

3.4 Procedure

The study was started with subjects from the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry.
This is because they were more difficult to access. Considering them first left sufficient
time to reschedule interview appointments to fit into the respondents’ busy schedules.
Professionals and managers from the industry were then interviewed.

Subjects from the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute Jinja were then studied.
Questionnaires were provided to the representative administrator and students and a
period of 4 days was allowed for answering.

20
After retrieving the questionnaires from the respondents, a draft research report was
written in which the data collected from the field work was organized and analyzed. The
draft report was submitted to the supervisor for review, after which necessary corrections
were made and the final report was written and submitted to the University for marking.

3.5 Limitations

During the course of writing this study, the greatest challenge has been the lack of
information concerning tourism. Most vital statistics are not easily accessible, and most
written reports and other documents, are not up to date, The university library does not
contain any of the vital reports on tourism, and the books available offer very limited
scope of information. Even at the MTTI resource center, some vital information like the
latest tourism statistics and budget information was lacking.

There was also great reluctance on the part of some managers of reputable tour
companies in Kampala to take part in the study.

Some respondents selected for the study were also not able to answer the questionnaires
in time and this greatly delayed the study process. Some questionnaires had to be left out
of the data analysis because they were not answered in time.

Time was also a limiting factor during the study. The available time did not allow for a
larger number of respondents to be involved in the study, therefore the sample size for the
study was very small.

21
3~6 Data analysis

The greatest amount of the information gathered from the field work was qualitative and
hence only requires presentation and discussion, however some data was organized using
pie-charts indicating percentages and tables, and thereafter analyzed to draw the
conclusions.

22
 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

4.0 Findings

4.1 Government’s contribution to HTTI

According to MTTI, the government provides funding to HTTI on a quarterly basis.

Previously, the funding was channeled through the Ministry of Education and Sports, but
the policy was later changed so that HTTI which is now directly under the control of
MTTI, could receive funds directly from MTTI. The funds provided to the institute are
paid into the institute’s account and the Board of Trustees oversees the expenditure of the
funds and is accountable to MTTI.

The change of policy to transfer control of HTTI to MTTI by government is a positive

contribution because it enables MTTI as a parent ministry to directly oversee the
operation of the institution, unlike the Ministry of Education and Sports which is in
charge of many other institutions. Under the new policy, HTTI is also able to receive
funds directly from its bank account, which reduces the time spent in accessing funds due
to bureaucracy.

The government through the MTTI also provides the list of courses to be offered at HTTI
and also provides a curriculum guide for each of the courses to ensure that students
acquire the necessary skills depending on the industry’s needs.

Through the JAB and PUJAB program, government provides sponsorship for Ugandan
students to HTTI to pursue various courses. The scholarship covers tuition,
accommodation and meals. Students only pay for uniforms and other small charges like
examination fees

23
According to a representative from the office of the Tourism Development
Commissioner, the government also plans to develop HTTI by constructing more
structures to accommodate a larger number of students and also improve upon the quality
of courses offered so that the institution becomes the country’s leading provider of
specialized tourism training.

An interview with an administrator at the institute also revealed that the government does
indeed make a contribution to the operation of the Institute. According to the
administrator, financial contribution at an average of between twenty to thirty million
Uganda shillings is provided to the institute on a quarterly basis by the government
through MTTI. This money contributes the greatest percentage to the Institutes budget,
and is supplemented by fees from students and proceeds from the activities of Crested
Crane Hotel which is operated by the Institute.

The Institute’s annual budget is at an average of approximately one and a half billion
Uganda shillings, Of this, approximately 45Omillion is comes from students fees, 375
million comes from the Crested Crane Hotel and 675 million is provided by the
government.

24
Figure 1: Pie chart showing sources of income for HTTI and the percentage
contributed to the annual budget

D Government

ü Students’ fees

D Crested Crane
Hotel

DISCUSSION
Government contributes forty five percent to HTTI’s annual budget, which is
supplemented by proceeds from students’ fees (3 0%) and the operations of the Crested
Crane Hotel (25%) (Figure 1). This contribution of 45% is significant, but the institute
still depends greatly on students’ fees and the operations of the hotel to cover the
remaining 75%o of the budget. Considering the seasonal nature of the hotel business and
the changing number of students enrolling per year, this dependence is not good since a
slight change in the hotel market or student numbers would affect the total amount of
money available for the Institute.

25
The government’s contribution however, is not limited to finances only. Equipment like
cookers, laundry machines and restaurant equipment have also been provided by the
government in partnership with agencies like JICA and the World Bank. However, the
provision of this equipment was a singular event, since there is no policy in place to
ensure a regular provision of equipment in case the existing equipment needs to be
replaced.

In 2007, a new modern class room block and demonstration kitchen were constructed by
the Ministry of Education on behalf of the government and equipment for the kitchen and
restaurant was also provided.

In addition to the above contributions, the government along with its development
partners also provides experts who come to the institute for intervals of between six
months to two years and carry out various training programs. At the time of writing of
this report, there was an expert from Japan at the Institute specialising in Food and
Beverage Service.
The management and instructors at the institute also underwent training to improve
managerial and communication skills, and pedagogy skills respectively.

The study also confirmed that MTTI does provide a curriculum guide to the Institute and
decides the academic programs to be provided by the Institute as a way of ensuring that
the students acquire the necessary skills to meet the needs of the tourism industry in
Uganda. However, students indicated the absence of driving as a course unit as one of the
challenges they face during their study. This could indicate that perhaps the ministry does
not consult the institute when developing the curriculum guide or that the curriculum
guide is not regularly updated to meet the existing needs in the industry.

26
 4.2 Student’s awareness of government contribution to the institution

Figure 2: Pie chart showing awareness ofgovernment contribution to HTTI among

students

0 Yes
~No
0 Not answered

DISCUSSION
The majority of students at HTTI (65%) are aware that the government makes a
contribution to the Institute, while 5% are not aware and 30% did not answer the question
(Figure 2). This shows that the government and the administration of HTTI are informing
existing and potential students of the government’s contribution to the institution. It also
indicates that the government contribution is significant enough to be noticed by the
majority of the students at HTTI.

27
4.3 Student’s opinion on sufficiency of government contribution to HTTI

Figure 3: Pie chart showing students’ opinions on sufficiency ofgovernment

contribution to HTTI

D Yes

O No

D Questionnaire
not returned

DISCUSSION
Most students at HTTI who were part of the study (45%) consider the contribution made
to the Institute by government to be sufficient, while 25% consider it to be insufficient
(Figure 3). However, it should be noted that students are not actively involved in the
operation of the institute, and therefore they may not be able to offer a valid opinion on
the sufficiency of contribution made to the Institute. When asked the same question
however, the representative administrator responded with a no, indicating that maybe the
contribution made by government is not sufficient.

28
4.4 Challenges facing HTTI

The research results revealed that HTTI as a tourism training institution is still facing a
number of challenges. The greatest challenge facing HTTI is the lack of accommodation
facilities for the students. Whereas the government has constructed classrooms for the
Institute, accommodation facilities have not been constructed and as a result, the Institute
spends most of the twenty to thirty million shillings provided quarterly on paying rent for
hostels to accommodate students. This cost of renting accommodation leads to budget
deficits because not enough money is available for other institutional activities.

The Institute’s staff members are also not on the government pay roll, which puts more
strain on the Institute’s budget. When there is a large deficit on the budget, the Institute
finds difficulty in securing salaries for most of the staff members and this dampens their
morale.

The other maj or challenge facing the Institute is the lack of sufficient equipment for the
practical aspects of the courses. To ensure that the students acquire proper skills, the
Institute has designed its programs to contain 70% practical work and 30% theory.
However, due to the lack of sufficient equipment, courses are modified to have only
about 45% or at best 50% practical work. This not only compromises the quality of
students produced, but also lengthens the study process, since practical lessons which
would take a few hours are spread over an entire day so that each student can access the
equipment. Although the government provided some equipment, the ideal ratio of 2
students per working station or equipment has still not been achieved, and the ratio is still
at 4 students per working station. There is therefore still a great need for more equipment
in the Institute.

29
There is also a great need for a library and resource center at the Institute. The
government has not constructed a library at the institute and the students are not able to
access good books for the theoretical part of their courses. There are also no text books
provided by the government.

Lastly, the Crested Crane Hotel which is used by the Institute to provide practical training
to the students is also rather old fashioned, especially in the area of information
technology and does not give the students a proper idea of what to expect in the existing
hotels. However, at the time of the research, renovations were being made to improve the
rooms in the hotel, but it was not established whether this improvement would include
introducing the latest technology to the hotel.
The above challenges indicate that although the government is making some contribution
to HTTI, the contribution being made is not sufficient for the Institute to operate at the
desired standards, and therefore more needs to be done to overcome the above challenges
and make HTTI a world class hospitality training institute.

30
4.5 Challenges facing HTTI students

Figure 4: Table showing challengesfacing students at HTTI andfrequency in which

they appear as responses

RESPONSE FREQUENCY

Lack of funds to finance trips 6

Lack of trainers 4

Need for attachment to tour companies and existing 1

hotels and tourism sites
Payment of fees(Funding challenges) 5

Lack of textbooks 2

Insufficient tourism practicals 3

Driving skills not part of course yet they’re important 1

Less interest in tourism by local people 1

Lack of advertising of tourism sites 1

Lack of datalinformation during research and industrial 1

training
Language barrier during research and industrial training 1

Insecurity during industrial training(e.g. attacks from wild 3

animals)
Few job opportunities due to small number of tour 4
companies in the country

31
Figure 5: Table showingfrequency of occurrence of responses
Total frequency 4+3+1+1+1+1+1+3+2+5+1+4+6 33

ITEM FREQUENCY RELATIVE RELATIVE

FREQUENCY FREQUENCy
EXPRESSED AS A
PERCENTAGE

Lack of funds for 6 6/33=0.1818 0.1818(100)=18,18%

Trips
Lack of funds for 5 5/33=0.1515 0.1515(100)=15.15%
fees
Lack of 4 4/33=0.1212 0.1212(100)=12.12%
trainers/instructors
Lack of jobs after 4 4/33=0.1212 0.1212(100)=12,12%
studying
Not enough tourism 3 3/33=0.0909 0.0909(100) = 9.09%
practicals
Insecurity during 3 3/33=0.0909 0.0909(100) = 9.09%
industrial training
Lack of textbooks 2 2/33=0.0606 0.0606(100) = 6.06%
No attachment 1 1/33=0.0303 0.0303(100) = 3.03%
tourism enterprises
No provision for 1 1/33=0.0303 0.0303(100) = 3.03%
driving program
Lack of interest in 1 1/33=0.0303 0.0303(100) = 3.03%
tourism by locals
Poor advertising of 1 1/33=0.0303 0.0303(100) = 3.03%
tourism sites

32
 Lack of data during 1 1/33=0.0303 0.0303(100) = 3.03%
industrial training
and research
Language barrier 1 1/33=0.0303 0.0303(100) =3.03%
during research
TOTAL 33 0.9999 99.99

DISCUSSION
The results indicate that students at HTTI still face a number of challenges. The greatest
of these challenges, is the lack of funding for academic trips (18.18% frequency), and the
challenge of finding funds for fees (15.15% frequency). These are followed by lack of
trainers and difficulty in finding jobs, both at a frequency of 12.12 %( Figure 5). The
continued occurrence of challenges related to funding indicates that the funds currently
being provided to the Institute are not sufficient to cater for some vital areas like
facilitating academic trips. It also indicates that the Institute is forced to increase
students’ fees so as to meet its budgetary requirements.

The occurrence of other challenges like difficulty in accessing jobs, insufficient tourism
practicals, lack of trainers and lack of textbooks which can be addressed by government
indicates that government is focusing on the financial contribution to the school without
considering other aspects of tourism training.

33
4.6 Opinion on graduates from Uganda’s tourism training institutions

Figure 6: Pie chart showing managers’ opinion ofgraduatesfrom Uganda’s tourism

training institutions

•Yes •No

DISCUSSION

The research results show that the majority of managers involved in the study(80%) find
graduates from Uganda’s tourism training institutions to be lacking major skills required
to work in the industry, and only 20% find them to be well qualified(Figure 6). This
indicates that there could be major gaps in the curriculum guide being provided by the
ministry to these institutions and the students are either not learning well or are not being
taught well.

34
 4,7 Skills lacking in the professionals in Uganda’s tourism industry

The research results also show that managers find a number of skills lacking in graduates
from Uganda’s tourism training institutions.

Figure 7: Table showing major skillsfound to be lacking in graduatesfrom Uganda’s

tourism training institutions
Marketing 1

Customer Care 2
Professional posture and poise 2
First Aid Skills 1
Exposure to other companies i
Interest in the career i

Technical skills 2

The results show that a number of major skills necessary to work in the tourism industry
like customer care, marketing skills, professional posture and poise, core technical skills
and exposure are lacking in most graduates from Uganda’s tourism training institutions
(Figure 7). This further indicates that either gaps exist in the curriculum guide being
provided to these institutions or it is not being implemented while teaching the students.
More effort therefore needs to be put by tourism training institutions into imparting these
necessary skills, and the government needs to support these Institutions to ensure that
they offer the best quality education and training to their students.

35
 4.8 Ways in which government can improve tourism training at HTTI

Since the greatest challenge facing the institute is the lack of sufficient facilities
especially accommodation facilities for students, construction of more structures would
reduce the costs spent on renting accommodation for students and hence reduce the strain
on the Institute’s budget. More facilities would also enable the institute to cater for a
larger number of students and hence offer a training opportunity to many who are not
admitted due to the Institute’s limited capacity.

Because HTTI is a specialized institute the government could establish a library

specifically for tourism and hotel studies and equip it with books from leading authors in
the various fields which could then be accessed by tourism and hotel students from other
parts of the country, hence making HTTI a center for hotel and tourism studies in the
country.

The government could increase on the amount of equipment provided to the Institute so
that all the students are able to access the equipment during practical lessons instead of
having to share amongst themselves, which could prevent them from having enough
practice with the equipment.

In its current state, the Crested Crane Hotel, which is the training hotel attached to HTTI,
is still below the standards of modern hotels in relation to technology, decor and
architecture. Refurbishing the hotel to modem standards would not only increase revenue
from guests received but also give students a hands on experience in a hotel environment
similar to what they can expect after their training at the Institute. This experience would
enable them to offer world class service regardless of the hotels they work with.

36
 4~,9 Ways in which government can improve tourism training in the country as
a whole

The study revealed that government could improve on the training of tourism students in
the country as a whole by doing the following;

Establishing more training colleges and universities to cater for the increasing number of
students interested in pursuing careers in the tourism industry. More tourism training
institutions would also reduce on the pressure placed on

Providing support, in terms of funds, equipment and expertise to other institutes offering
tourism and hotel studies, even when they may be privately owned and operated. This
extra government support would enable small institutes to access the necessary
equipment and offer a better standard of training.

Sensitizing the public to change the negative perception some parents have about the
tourism industry, especially the hotel sector. The study shows that at HTTI 65% of the
students are female and 35% are male. This could be due to the same negative perception
that the hotel industry is an industry for women, who are considered more susceptible to
sexual exploitation than men. The assumption seems to be that such women are paid for
sex by clients in the hotels and restaurants.

Sensitizing members of the public who have negative assumptions about women working
in the hotel and tourism industry to change the negative cultural and social biases towards
such women. As a result of such assumptions discussed in the previous paragraph, most
women working in hotels, restaurants and bars face sexual and verbal assault from clients
who make advances at them because they assume they are prostitutes. Such an attitude
discourages some women from pursuing careers in the tourism industry.

37
Inviting international experts to carry out training programs in the country so as to
compliment the efforts of existing instructors in the country. Uganda also faces a
shortage of tourism experts, therefore out sourcing international experts would fill the
skills gap left by local instructors and also expose students to a world class quality of
training.

38
 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0 Conclusions

The government of Uganda through MTTI does contribute to HTTI and the biggest part
of this contribution is financial. HTTI receives 45% of its annual budgetary needs from
the government through MTTI. Government contribution also extends beyond finances to
provision of equipment, training of staff, provision of experts to improve on the training
and the construction of a classroom block at the school.

The majority of students at HTTI (45%) feel that the contribution made by government is
sufficient, but 25% of the students and the administrator involved in the study feel that it
is not. Despite the higher percentage of students who believe the contribution is
sufficient, the administrator’s opinion is considered more because he is concerned with
the details of operating the institute which and hence has a more valid opinion. With that
background, it was concluded that the contribution made by the government is still
insufficient to meet the needs of the institution because it still faces major challenges like
lack of facilities, especially accommodation facilities, lack of a library and textbooks and
insufficient equipment for students.

The greatest number of managers in the industry (80%) find most of the graduates from
tourism training institutions in Uganda to be unprepared for the needs of the market, and
some major skills including customer care, marketing, practical and technical skills, to
mention only a few, are still lacking. This indicates that improvements still need to be
made to the training of tourism students in Uganda.

39
The research findings indicate that with government support and the proper policies in
place, HTTI and other tourism training institutions can improve on the quality of training
they provide to their students and hence improve upon the tourism human resources in
the country.

5.1 Recommendations

1. Government contribution to HTTI should increase to about 80% of the

institution’s needs. This is because the Institute still charges high fees for students
to supplement its income, and increased financing from government would enable
it to offer quality education at a lower cost and enable many students who still
cannot afford the fees at the Institute to enroll and study tourism courses.

2. Government should also contribute some funds to enable students take part in
study trips. This is because most of the students identify lack of money for trips as
one of the greatest challenges they face. Study trips are also an essential part of
studying tourism, and government contribution towards these trips would reduce
the cost extended to students and hence make them affordable to most students
who now cannot afford them.

3. More accommodation facilities should be constructed at the Institute so as to

reduce the cost of renting accommodation which currently takes up the greatest
expenditure of the Institute’s budget. On campus accommodation would also
make studies more convenient for students because it would eliminate the
difficulties involved in commuting from hostels outside the campus and
transportation costs.

40
4. A relevant library should be constructed at the Institute and the necessary books
provided for the students to use during their research and routine studies. This
library could also contain a resource center with various reference books so that
tourism students from other institutions can use it for research and study purposes.

5. Staff at the Institute should be placed on the government pay roll so that the
difficulties encountered by the Institute in paying them when the funds provided
are not enough are eliminated, This would remove the risk of poor service
delivery by the instructors due to delayed or poor pay and assure them of a salary
from the government even when the Institute may not have the funds to pay them
well.

6. More equipment should be acquired at the Institute so that all students get the
sufficient exposure to practical work and acquire the necessary skills. A policy
should also be established to ensure regular provision and replacement of
equipment at the Institute whenever the need arises, and in sufficient numbers to
meet the ever growing number of students at the Institute.

7. The policy to transfer management of HTTI from the Ministry of Education and
Sports to the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry should be maintained as it
has greatly eased the operation of HTTI because funds are now transferred
directly from the MTTI to HTTI without having to co-ordinate with MOES.

8. The out sourcing of experts to assist in the training of students at HTTI is a

positive contribution and should be promoted.

41
9. The Crested Crane Hotel should be upgraded to a state of the art modern hotel in
the areas of architecture, decor and information technology by introducing
technology like computerized reservation systems and digital card keys, so that
students are exposed to the current trends in the hotel industry today.

10. Curriculum guide development should be a participatory process involving

various stakeholders like tourism experts, managers, professionals in the industry,
instructors and students. The curriculum should also be modified to cater for
missing skills like customer care, technical skills, confidence, professional
appearance and poise.

11. More tourism training institutions should be established at college and university
levels to cater for the increasing number of students interested in pursuing tourism
related careers and reduce pressure on the existing institutions like HTTI which
are catering for more students than they were established to cater for.

12. MTTI in collaboration with HTTI should formulate a long term development plan
for the Institute so that it can be used as a guide line to develop and expand the
Institute, both in terms of academic programs provided and in relation to student
numbers and facilities.

13. This study focused on contribution made to HTTI for the previous financial year
and this financial year, but more research could be done to assess the
government’s cumulative contribution to the Institute over a period of the past ten
years or more so as to offer a more accurate and long term perspective on the
government’s contribution to the Institute.

42
 REFERENCES

Costas, C., Hillel, 0., Matus, S., & Sweeting, J. (2003).Tourism and Biodiversity;
Mapping Tourism ‘s Global Footprint.UNEP.

European Development Fund and Uganda Sustainable Tourism Development Programme

(2001); Draftfinancing proposal. Unpublished.
Dan Group International.

European Union and Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry(2001). Design of the
Uganda Sustainable Tourism Development Programme. Final Report. Denmark.

Francesco, F. (1997).Observations on International Tourism: Addresses and documents

199 7-1999. Madrid: WTO

Government of Uganda (1994).TPDP Tourism Promotion and Development Project

(TPDP). Project Identification Report presented to the World Bank. Kampala.

Holloway, J. C & Robinson C. (1995). Marketing for Tourism. (3~ Edition). London:
Longman

Holloway, J. C. (1994). The Business of Tourism. (4th Edition).Singapore: Longman

HTTI 2010. The Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, brochure.

43
International Labor Organisation: 3~ Tripartite Technical Meeting for Hotels, Restaurants
and Similar Establishments (1983). The Adaptation of the training of managerial staff
and employees to structural and technological changes in hotels, restaurants and similar
establishments. Geneva.

Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry,(2003). Tourism Policyfor Uganda. Kampala.

Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry,(200 1). Expenditure and Motivation Survey
Repori~, August-October 2001. Kampala. Dhizala Simon. Database Consultant MTTI

Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, (2005). National Tourism Competitiveness Plan
2005-2015. Kampala.

Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and World Tourism Organisation, (1991).
Perspective plan for Uganda Tourism Development. Tourism Rehabilitation and
Development planningfor the Republic of Uganda. Unpublished.

Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, (1996) .Protected Areas Management and
Sustainable Use Project, Volume 4. London: UWA, Environment and Development
Group. Unpublished.

Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, (1994). Report on the workshop on re

launching tourism in Uganda. Kampala

Uganda Sustainable Tourism Development Program, (2004). Marketing Strategy 2004-

2008. Kampala

44
United Nations Development Program, (1999). Tourism Sector Status Report. Kampala:
Chris. B. Kyerere,

Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities& World Tourism Organisation, (1993).

Integrated Tourism Master plan. Madrid

INTERNET REFERENCES
http ://www.btvet~uganda.org/training~provjder/hornepages/httj www.btvet-uganda.org.
Retrieved on ~ 71h —March, 2010.

45
 Appendix I: Sample questionnaire for administrators in HTTI

I am Gwiina Caroline from Kampala International University. I am doing a research on

the contribution made by government to tourism training institutions in Uganda, in
particular the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Jinj a. As part of this research, I need
some information on what you know about the contribution being made by the
government and your opinions on this contribution.

Findings from the research will be helpful in informing the government of the great need
for improvement in the tourism training in Uganda and the challenges being faced by
tourism training institutions such as yours. The completed research will also be part of
my requirements for a bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hotel Management from
Kampala International University.

The information provided in this questionnaire will be strictly used for the above
mentioned purpose. Your identity as a respondent will also not be revealed.

Please read and understand the questions carefully, and take time fill the questionnaire. It
will be collected after 3 to 7 days from today. Thank you for your co-operation.

YOU MAY USE THE BACK OF THIS QUESTIONNAIRE IN CASE THE

SPACE PROVIDED IS NOT ENOUGH

PART ONE
Respondent details
Name of institution

Position held

46
How long have you held this position?

PART TWO
1. Do you receive any curriculum guide from the ministry for tourism related
courses?

[ Yes L~No
2. Are you aware of any contribution of government to tourism training in this
institution?(Tick were appropriate)

__ Yes __ No

3. If yes, what kind of contribution is it? (Tick any contribution received)

Funds ____ Staff/Technical expertise

____ Textbooks

Equipment

Other (explain briefly)

4. What is the time interval between receipts of contributions?

7 Monthly _____ Quarterly _____ Annually

____ Other (Specify)

5. Approximately what quantities/amounts of the above contribution do you receive?

Funds

Textbooks

47
 Equipment .

Staff/Technical expertise .

Other

6. In your opinion, is the above contribution sufficient to the tourism training needs
in this institution?

____ Yes ____ No

7. If no, why is it insufficient?

8. What would you consider to be sufficient?

Funds (approximately)
Textbooks
Equipment
Staff/Technical expertise
Other

PART THREE
9. What challenges does the tourism department in your institution face?(Briefly
outline)
9

48
 0

10. What would you like to see the government do to help your institution overcome
these challenges?

11. In your opinion, how can government contribute to the development of tourism
human resources in Uganda?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO ANSWER

THESE QUESTIONS.

49
 Appendix II: Sample questionnaire for students

I am Gwiina Caroline from Kampala International University. I am doing a research on

the contribution made by government to tourism training institutions in Uganda, in
particular the Hotel and Tourism Training Institution, Jinja. As part of this research, I
need some information on what you know about the contribution being made by the
government and your opinions on this contribution.

Findings from the research will be helpful in informing the government of the great need
for improvement in the tourism training in Uganda and the challenges being faced by
tourism training institutions such as yours. The completed research will also be part of
my requirements for a bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hotel Management from
Kampala International University.

The information provided in this questionnaire will be strictly used for the above
mentioned purpose. Your registration number is needed as proof that you are indeed a
registered student of this institution. Your identity as a respondent will not be revealed.

Please read and understand the questions carefrilly, and take time fill the questionnaire. It
will be collected after 3 to 7 days from today. Thank you for your co-operation.

PART ONE
Details of the respondent
12. Name of Institutiow

13. Course of study

14. Year of Study

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 15. Semester .

16. Registration Number

PART TWO
17. Are you aware of any contribution the government makes to the tourism
department in your institution?(Tick where appropriate)
YesE NoD

If yes, what kind of contribution is it? (Explain briefly. Is it financial or material

e.g. textbooks)
Funds ~ Staff/Technical expertise

Textbooks

Equipment

Other (Briefly explain)

18. In your opinion, is that contribution sufficient to the needs of the tourism
department in your institution?(Tick where appropriate)

Yes No

19. If no, why is it insufficient?

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PART THREE
20, What challenges do you face as a tourism student?

21. What would you like to see the government do to help you overcome those
challenges?

22. In your opinion, what can the government do to contribute to tourism training in
Uganda?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO ANSWER

THESE QUESTIONS.

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 Appendix III: Interview questions for Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry
representative

I am Gwiina Caroline from Kampala International University. I am carrying out a

research on the contribution made by government to tourism training institutions in
Uganda, in HTTI, Jinja. As part of this research I need some information from you
concerning the government’s contribution to HTTI.

All the information gathered will be used strictly for the research purposes, and your
identity will not be revealed. Thank you so much for taking off your time to be a part of
this study.
1. What is your position in the Ministry?
2. What percentage of the budget do you receive as the ministry of tourism, trade
and industry?
3. How much of this money is specific for tourism sector?
4. Does any of this money go to tourism training?
5. How much is provided to HTTI?
6. If yes, is it given to HTTI directly or forwarded to the ministry of education?
7. If yes, who exactly in the institutions receives it? If no, who in the ministry of
education receives it?
8. What contribution does the MTTI provide to HTTI?
9. What are the intervals of this contribution is it monthly, quarterly or annually?
10. In your opinion, is it sufficient to the needs of the institution?
11. What policies has MTTI made to support HTTI?
12. What future plans does MTTI have for HTTI?
13. Do you have any other comments to make on the topic?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

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 Appendix IV: Sample questionnaire for professionals

I am Gwiina Caroline from Kampala International University. I am doing a research on

the contribution made by government to tourism training institutions in Uganda, in
particular the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Jinja. As part of this research, I need
some information on what you know about the contribution being made by the
government and your opinions on this contribution.

Findings from the research will be helpful in informing the government of the great need
for improvement in the tourism training in Uganda and the challenges being faced by
tourism training institutions. The completed research will also be part of my requirements
for a bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hotel Management from Kampala International
University.

The information provided in this questionnaire will be strictly used for the above
mentioned purpose. Your identity as a respondent will also not be revealed.

Please read and understand the questions carefully, and take time fill the questionnaire. It
will be collected afier 3 to 7 days from today. Thank you for your co-operation.

PART ONE
1. Do you work independently?

__ Yes __No

54
2. If no, which company do you work with?

3. How long have you worked in your current position? Overall experience even
with other companies)

4. What level of formal training have you attained for your current position?

Certificate Diploma _____ Degree

Other (Specify)

5. From which institutions did you receive the training?(Mention institution and
qualification attained)
Institution Qualification

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 PART TWO
6. What are the most important skills needed to perform your routine duties?

7. Which other skills does your job require that you feel you were not sufficiently
trained in?

8. In your opinion, what can the government do to improve the tourism human
resource in the country?

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 Appendix V: Interview questions for tour and travel operator

I am Gwiina Caroline from Kampala International University. I am carrying out a

research on the contribution made by government to tourism training institutions in
Uganda, in particular, the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Jinja. As part of this
research I need some information from you concerning the human resource needs in the
tourism industry today and recommendations on how to improve tourism training in
Uganda.

All the information gathered will be used strictly for the research purposes, and your
identity will not be revealed. Thank you so much for taking off your time to be a part of
this study.

1. What is the name of your company?

2. How long have you been in operation?
3. What services do you offer?
4. How many people do you employ?
5. In your opinion, are graduates from Uganda’s tourism training institutions well
qualified for the needs of the tourism industry in Uganda?
6. Which major skills are needed by professionals in the industry?
7. Which of these skills are lacking in the graduates from Uganda’s institutions?
8. What do you think the government should do to improve the training of tourism
students?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

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 Appendix VI: Budget

ITEM COST
PRINTING 20,000

BINDING 30,000
TRANSPORT 50,000

MEALS 20,000

MISCELLANEOUS 10,000

TOTAL 130,000UGSHS.

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 Appendix VII: Time frame

PERIOD ACTIVITY

March-April 2010 Writing a draft of the proposal

May- June 2010 Submission of final copy of proposal

First two weeks of July Data collection

Last two weeks of July Data organisation and analysis

August September
- Writing the draft report

Last week of September Submission of final report.

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