Dr. Lilly Ajarova, one of Africa’s leading voices in sustainable tourism and conservation, will be in South Africa this April to participate in two key industry events that underscore the growing momentum toward a more united, ecologically conscious African tourism landscape.
From 9 to 11 April 2025, Dr. Ajarova will represent Uganda at the World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa) in Cape Town, in her capacity as the Senior Presidential Advisor on Tourism. Appointed to the role in February 2025 by President Yoweri Kaguta Museve
Dr. Ajarova’s work is rooted in the understanding that the future of African tourism depends not just on marketing destinations, but on preserving them. In recent years, Uganda has steadily rebuilt its visitor economy, with the tourism sector contributing 4.7% of national GDP in 2022 and increasing to 5.5% in 2023. As global travellersincreasingly seek authentic, nature-based experiences, Uganda’s conservation-led tourism approach—championed by Dr. Ajarova—is setting a benchmark for emerging African destinations.
Following WTM, Dr. Ajarova will travel to Johannesburg, where she will headline the Skål International Pretoria Luncheon on 15 April. There, she will present her newly released memoir, Echoes from Mountains of the Moon: A Story of Resilience Adventure, and Purpose.
The book chronicles her expedition to Margherita Peak in the Rwenzori Mountains—one of the continent’s most spectacular yet underexplored natural wonders. Part travelogue, part environmental reflection, the memoir invites readers into the spiritual and ecological layers of the mountain range, raising critical questions about heritage, climate change, and the moral duty to protect Africa’s ecological frontiers.
Her address to Skål members—including industry executives and the Skål World President—will focus on the power of storytelling to inspire sustainable travel, responsible exploration, and meaningful leadership across the continent’s tourism value chain.
For more information, visit www.lillyajarova.info.
