Irene Nalwoga is the Managing Director (M.D) of Women Tour Uganda, a local company that provides customised tours to exclusively women to any destination in Uganda. It is located on Plot 7, Nakasamba Road, Queens Road in Entebbe Bugonga
How do you introduce yourself to a tourist?
Ayiyiyiyiiyiyiiyi welcome to my Uganda, I am Irene Nalwoga and am going to be your Ugandan best friend for the next few days. Are you ready?
What is the motivation behind starting the Women Tour Uganda?
I am a solo woman traveller; I always visit different countries by myself. We noticed there are so many solo women around the world that would like to visit Uganda and don’t have anyone to travel with.
That’s why we started Women Tour Uganda and set up scheduled departure dates on our safari calendar every month to encourage solo women to travel in a group, make friends and meet other solo women as they enjoy my country Uganda in a safe environment.
Who or what was your main driver(s) in kick starting this journey?
Mr. Nkata Paul is our main driver, we started working together from 2012 up to now. I have never seen a loyal, kind, hardworking, faithful, respectful Driver like him. He loves Women tour Uganda very much and when it comes to the solo women guests, they all appreciate him very much because he is the best driver ever. They all say it in their reviews. We have gone through thick and thin with him and he has never given up on the Women Tour Uganda.
When and how did you start Women Tour Uganda?
We started our business in 2011 as Renewills Tours and Travel, then we majored in Women Tours and started a business name of women tour Uganda in 2016. I am so grateful to Mr Morgan Kisitu, the Managing Director of 1000 Shades of Green who trained me and nurtured me in growing Women only tours and marketing abroad in international tourism exhibitions.
Please tell me about your first trip…
Please allow me to talk about our first many 14 days safari since we were doing many short safaris of 3 to 4 days which always went well. But the many day trips were quite a challenge at the beginning because they involved a lot of research and also, we didn’t know some shortcuts so we could spend more time on the road.
But we have never ever booked wrong dates, so we are very careful. Women Tour Uganda aims at being behind society empowerment. That’s why a small percentage of the profits we make on your safari goes to donations to women empowering communities and activities.
What is your role or job on the team?
I am the managing director of women tour Uganda, During the safaris I am the host and lead guide of the safari. So, I go with the solo women on the safari even during the gorilla treks and all other activities.
What was your experience like transitioning from a banking job to running a tours & travel entity?
Oh, to be very honest with you it wasn’t easy. I made many mistakes and I learnt from them. I met many mentors on the way that held my hand and showed me how to run a tours and travel business.
I am glad I was humble to ask and receive the help. It was a totally different world, with so many losses and gains but above all I kept going because I love tours and travel.
What lessons did you learn from the formative years of your journey in the tourism sector?
Always study your target market enough before you spend money in marketing and understand their travel behaviour very well. Never compare yourself with your competitors; walk your own journey, your time will always come.
For a start, guide your safaris other than delegating or go as a second guide and experience what you are selling. When you are with the guests you understand what they need better.
Never copy your competitors and what they are doing for the sake of copying. Do as much research and understand the business you are in. you will make profits on every safari. You will make losses on some.
How important were the lessons in establishing and getting Women Tour Uganda on its feet?
They were very important. I must admit that those lessons have kept us in business up to now. It took a lot to learn them but it was all worth it.
What was your experience and lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown?
It was a very bad experience. It took a huge toll on my mental health seeing all the money and hard work going to zero; watching it all burn down wasn’t easy to take in. Lessons: anytime business can come to a standstill and you need to know what to do next.
I always think of that now. Our solo ladies were very kind; they didn’t cancel but postponed their travel. I learnt to create good relationships with the lodges and select the lodges wisely.
Patience always wins. Never fear to ask or call for help. I joined two different entrepreneurship trainings that gave me hope and pulled me back to my entrepreneurship energy again, that is Academy for Women Entrepreneurs funded by the American Embassy in Kampala.
The other is NISAT funded by the French Embassy in Kampala which was run by Stanbic business incubator. These changed my business life completely. Women Tour Uganda aims at being behind society empowerment. That’s why a small percentage of the profits we make on your safari goes to donations to women empowering communities and activities.
In your observation, how has the post-Covid-19 period changed the tourism sector?
It has changed it more than we expected. At the beginning solo women were scared to book thinking another lockdown was coming. But after six months the women were on fire to book because everyone tested what it meant to be locked in one place, so they wanted to travel and see the world more before another lockdown could come which is very good.
Also, the solo women now prefer booking directly with us which wasn’t the case before the outbreak of Covid-19. They love to support local women businesses. Before covid we used to rely on international travel agents but now they come directly to us. Thanks to the training I got after covid.
How have you marketed the uniqueness of your tour company?
We have partnered with international solo women travel influencers who have gone on our safaris and they have shared their incredible experiences with their audience. They have a huge following that believes in them. We share our culture a lot with the ladies in our complimentary cooking class and teach them how to wear our gomesi.
What makes you proud of your culture?
Everything. I have never seen a country so rich with culture like Uganda. Every national park you go to you find different people who live their life differently. I am a Muganda and am very proud of my culture. I love everything about it.
The biggest culture that cuts across all Ugandans is the friendliness, kindness, humanity and honest love for each other; genuine smiles. These things overpower me every time.
What are your favourite tourist attractions in Uganda, and why?
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is my favourite because I love seeing the gorillas; playing hide and seek with them in the forest. There are incredible views around the park.
Then, the eye contact with the gorillas is more than words can say. You just have to see it with your eyes to understand the feeling. I also love all the other parks and other attractions to be honest.
What would you like to see done better in the local tourism sector?
If we could encourage our fellow local Ugandans to have a traveling culture and learn to save for travel. Many times, you find locals who live in the neighbourhoods of the national parks and they have never entered the park, they have never experienced what international guests experience. Let’s make the local Ugandans love to travel and see the world.
What is on your wish list?
I wish to host many solo women travellers in Uganda from all over the world, at least 12 women a month because we are very ready to host them and so are the animals.
I wish to see my Uganda marketed more intensively internationally in that Uganda is not known for the dark bad things but for the beautiful country it is and wonderful people it has. I wish to see more women join the tours and travel business and of course not forgetting our brothers.
