A proposed US$1.2 billion investment in tourism and supporting infrastructure across Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan could enable the development of a new tourism corridor following the historic route taken by former US President Theodore Roosevelt through East Africa.
The Roosevelt Africa Trail has been announced as a project under the US Trade Over Aid Deals framework with the investment pipeline presented ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The trail will follow Roosevelt’s approximately 1 600km journey through East Africa in 1909-1910, linking existing tourism attractions and historical sites across the three countries.
Joshua Sentongo, Director of Strategy and Business Development of the Roosevelt Trail, told Tourism Update the route would incorporate eco-tourism and historical sites including the Maasai Mara, Nairobi National Park, Lake Victoria, Murchison Falls National Park and Ajai Reserve, extending into South Sudan.
Tourism infrastructure development
In a September 10 engagement at Uganda House in New York, themed “Shared Heritage, Shared Opportunity”, representatives of Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and the US met to discuss developing tourism infrastructure along the route.
The project intends to function as an economic corridor with investment in transport links, accommodation and supporting commercial infrastructure.
Plans include the development of hospitality lodges alongside agricultural and other commercial facilities such as local coffee roasting operations, aimed at increasing the economic benefits of tourism for communities along the route.
The project is currently undergoing feasibility and environmental studies.
Interactive heritage attractio
In addition to connecting existing attractions and historical monuments, the trail will feature solar-powered interactive monuments providing visitors with information about Roosevelt’s expedition and the surrounding environment.
“In partnership with MIT, we will be creating smart monuments along the trail. It’s like an interactive library aligned to the location, which would give you information on what he collected during that time, the time he spent there and more information on the climate and the ecosystem evolving,” says Sentongo.
Sentongo says approximately US$50 million will go to developing the smart monuments, which SpaceX has shown interest in developing.
Sentongo believes the trail could attract interest from the US heritage tourism market, particularly travellers interested in Roosevelt’s history.
“The Roosevelt Africa Trail is partnering with Theodore Residential Library for cross-promotion. If you’re talking about tourism opportunities, there’s the large heritage market in the United States. But then there’s also the focused market of Theodore Roosevelt.”
