Tourism Research and Development Centre (TRDC) is a leading independent not-for-profit tourism and hospitality research centre in Uganda and the premier provider of quality timely and reliable data and information.
Jim is a professional who has over the last 23 years been engaged in various assignments as an educationist, consultant and researcher in conservation management, sustainable tourism planning, destination management and development. Jim’s fields of expertise include: Sustainable Management and Planning in natural landscapes, natural resources planning and management; Tourism products appraisal and planning, land use planning, national and regional tourism policy and institutional analysis; community livelihoods enhancement, among others. With a PhD in Environmental and Geographical Sciences from the University of Cape Town – South Africa (2008) and a Masters of Degree in Land Use & Regional Development Planning from Makerere University. Jim is an Associate Professor at Makerere University and has a solid academic background and experience in conservation and environmental management planning
Celestine is highly proficient in national planning and development with experience of over 15 years. He has served as team leader and core team member on teams that formulated Uganda’s National Tourism Development Plans, profiling of investment opportunities on Lake Victoria and River Nile, tourism development master plan, review of Uganda’s tourism legal and regulatory frameworks and strategic plans for government and private sector agencies in tourism in the EAC region. With a PhD in Tourism Entrepreneurship and a Master of Business Administration from Makerere University, Celestine has strong knowledge and understanding of the national and international tourism development and overall business landscape.
James has over 20 years of research, training and consultancy experience, with core expertise and competencies in hospitality management, hotel business planning, quality assurance, tourism marketing. PhD (Cand) Tourism in developing countries, Masters in International Hospitality management, Dip. Hotel Management (Utalii-Kenya)
Richard has over 10 years of research, training and consultancy experience, with core expertise and competencies in private sector operations, partnerships building, resource mobilisation, tourism and hotel investment planning, communication strategy, and policy development. He holds a Master of Business Administration, and his a Certified East African Hotel classification assessor and a certified procurement professional by the Netherland body Perspective (NEV). Richard is a professional and experienced tourism and hospitality educator. He was the head of Tourism Department at Makerere University Business School and his is currently the Principal of the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) in Uganda
Ray has over 15 years’ experience in value chain analysis, tourism planning and development within Kenya and the African region. He has lead the formation of Policy Research on African Air Transportation and Tourism Sector, African Tourism Strategic Framework for the African Union; Sustainable Tourism Master Plan (2015-2025) for Ethiopia; Sustainable Tourism Master Plan for the IGAD region (2013-2023); Tourism for Rural Economic development in Ethiopia; Tourism Policy and Implementation Strategy Republic of Burundi, Tourism Product Development in Sierra Leone; the EAC Tourism Barometer among others. He holds of a Ph.D in Tourism and Hospitality Management and a Post-Doctorate in Sustainable Tourism Development. His an Associate Professor and the Dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism of Murang’a University of Technology, Kenya
Economic Modelling Expert
Pius has over 20 years’ experience in tourism in areas of tourism satellite accounting, business environment analysis, economic impacts, economic modelling, trade & investment, regional integration, environmental economics, Value chains analysis and cost-benefit analysis among others. He has lead and supported the development Tourism Satellite Accounting systems in Rwanda, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda, and currently in Namibia. He has also supported the designing of the Tourism Barometer for East Africa. He has published various academic papers from his vast researches he has conducted during his tenure at Moi University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, Kigali Institute of Management, University of Kabianga, among others. He has provided technical support to a number of organisations including UNECA, GIZ among others. He holds of a PhD in Applied Economics (Tourism) at Mansholt Graduate School, Wageningen University & Research Centre, Netherlands, a Masters of Economics at Nairobi University. His an Associate Professor in the School of Business and Education, Kirinyaga University, Kenya.
Heritage and Gender Expert
Fikirit has over 10 years professional experience as Heritage and conservation researcher and chief tourist information officer in Gonder. She has worked on various gender focused projects including the Migrant Adolescent Girls project under the Strategic Initiative For Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) in 2022 and Assessment of the impact of 2020-22 Northern Ethiopia Conflict on Women and Girls under the Network of Ethiopian Women Association (NEWA). She is a member and coordinator of Women Peace Lab network in Ethiopia under the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA). She has passion in field of peace and security and how it affects community livelihoods especially of women and children. She has trained in Training of Trainers (ToT) in Mediation, Conflict Analysis, Negotiation, and Dispute Resolution at the Institute of Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) in Ethiopia. and Inclusive Peace, and USAID; She holds a PhD in Tourism and Park management, Addis Ababa University and a Master of Art in the History of the Nile Basin, Bahir dar University in Ethiopia
Francis is a tourism professional who has for over the last 16 years been engaged in various assignments as a consultant, researcher, academic and educator in the various areas of tourism and hospitality, environment and conservation. Francis’s professional focus is on promoting environmental practices that influence sustainable tourism destination development that is inclusive (with positive community participation). His speciality is on ensuring that tourism and hospitality operations are planned and managed, sustainably utilised to promote continuity and communities’ livelihoods are enhanced. He has undertaken several projects and trained numerous communities on how to engage and sustainably benefit from tourism conversation initiatives. Furthermore, Francis has been involved in different research projects and produced several publications. He holds a PhD in Tourism and MSc. Environment and Natural Resources from Makerere University. He is a Lecturer in the Department of Tourism at Makerere University, Uganda.
About Us
TRDC is a leading independent tourism and hospitality research centre in Uganda and the premier provider of quality timely and reliable data and information
Our Vision
To undertake cutting edge research in various development fields including tourism and its related areas and provide and quality evidence based research that informs and positively impacts socioeconomic planning and policy formulation.
Contacts
TRDC
P.O.Box 22031,
Plot 720 Nambole Road
Mystic Building Third Floor
Kampala, Uganda
Email: info@trdcug.org
Tel: +256772401410