Through Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) certification, Enabel is working with tourism businesses in Uganda to embrace ethical practices, improve working conditions, strengthen community participation and build a more sustainable and competitive tourism industry.

In Uganda's Karamoja sub-region, a tourism enterprise that began with a vision of connecting travellers to local communities is now setting a new standard for responsible and sustainable tourism. Karamoja Safari Camp, operating under the Kara-Tunga Tours brand, has become Uganda's first tourism business to attain Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) certification, marking an important milestone for the country's tourism and hospitality sector.

Having started its operations in 2016, the achievement represents recognition of years of efforts to make tourism more inclusive, environmentally responsible, and beneficial to the communities that make Karamoja a unique destination. Through cultural experiences, community partnerships and environmental conservation initiatives, Kara-Tunga has worked to demonstrate that tourism can offer more than memorable experiences for visitors. It can also support local livelihoods, preserve cultural identity and create opportunities for communities to participate in the tourism economy.

Sustainability at Karamoja Safari Camp is reflected in how the business operates and engages with surrounding communities. The enterprise promotes community-based tourism activities, employs local people and supports local food production, creating opportunities for residents to participate in and benefit from tourism.

It also connects visitors with local craftspeople through cultural tours and workshops, helping showcase and preserve Karamoja's rich cultural heritage while supporting community enterprises. Environmental responsibility is another important part of its operations. The camp recycles organic waste into compost, promotes bicycle and walking tours to reduce carbon emissions, supports tree planting in schools, and has eliminated plastic bags while providing guests with filtered drinking water.

 According to Rogers Mabiro, a staff member at Kara-Tunga Safari Camp, these initiatives reflect the enterprise's commitment to reducing the negative effects of tourism while increasing its positive contribution to communities and the environment.

"At Kara-Tunga, we are committed to sustainable tourism. This means we strive to limit or improve any negative impacts of our operations," he explains.

These efforts are particularly relevant in Karamoja, where tourism offers opportunities to showcase the region's cultural heritage and biodiversity while supporting livelihoods and local economic development. By involving local people in tourism activities, the enterprise is contributing to an approach in which communities are not simply part of the visitor experience but also participants in the economic opportunities it creates.

Although Kara-Tunga had already introduced several responsible tourism practices, attaining Fair Trade Tourism certification required the enterprise to demonstrate that its operations met internationally recognised sustainability standards. The certification process involved a rigorous six-month assessment conducted by FTT auditors who evaluated the camp against 184 criteria across six sustainability pillars: fair share, fair say, respect, reliability, transparency and sustainability.

These criteria examine how tourism businesses treat their employees, engage with communities, manage their environmental responsibilities and ensure fairness and transparency in their operations. The assessment included independent third-party verification, interviews with staff and community representatives, document reviews, field inspections and evaluation of impact metrics.

Grace Stead, the General Manager of Fair Trade Tourism, welcomed the enterprise's achievement and its commitment to demonstrating responsible tourism practices. "This builds on what they have already been doing, providing verification and aligning with international best practice," she said.

The Fair Trade Tourism certification achievement by Kara-Tunga is part of a broader effort to strengthen responsible and sustainable tourism practices across Uganda's tourism and hospitality sector. The initiative is designed to ensure that tourism businesses begin their journey towards internationally recognised sustainable tourism certification by reducing some of the financial barriers associated with membership and certification audits.

The certification places Kara-Tunga among a growing network of African tourism businesses committed to ethical practices that prioritise local communities, environmental stewardship, transparency and fair economic participation. Building on this achievement, Enabel has procured a second consultancy assignment to strengthen the adoption of responsible and sustainable tourism practices among 30 tourism enterprises.

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