Voice of Lango
  Stream radio
Menu
Voice of Lango
  2. Sport
  3. Lira city hotel owners embark on renovations ahead of AFCON 2027

Lira city hotel owners embark on renovations ahead of AFCON 2027

21 December 2024, 2:54 pm

Gracious Palace Hotel in Lira City: Undergoing renovations to meet AFCON 2027 standards.

By Denish Ongora

In preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027, hotel owners in Lira City have embarked on extensive renovations to meet the required standards.

The renovation efforts follow an assessment by the National Council of Sports, the Uganda Tourism Board, and the Ministry of Education and Sports, which recommended improvements to hotels in Lira City to ensure readiness for hosting the prestigious tournament.

This coincides with the government’s plan to construct the Akii Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira City, which will serve as one of the key venues for the event.

A report from the Uganda Tourism Board, published in the New Vision newspaper on 19 December 2024, revealed that none of the hotels in Lira City currently meet the minimum standard of a two-star rating.

Morris Chris Ongom, Chairperson of the Lira Chamber of Commerce, said hotel owners in the city are working tirelessly to upgrade their facilities to meet the expectations for AFCON 2027. He also encouraged further investment in the hospitality sector, urging investors to build state-of-the-art hotels to complement the existing establishments.

Dr Patrick Olet, Chairperson of Hotel Owners under the Lira Chamber of Commerce, stated that many hotels are adding modern amenities such as swimming pools, health clubs, and expanded parking areas to cater to international tourists and tournament guests. He cited his own Gracious Palace Hotel as an example, noting that it is undergoing significant upgrades to enhance its services and facilities.

According to the Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda’s only five-star hotel is the Speke Resort Conference Centre in Kampala. In northern Uganda, the highest-rated hotels are four-star establishments, such as the Boma Hotel in Gulu and Hotel Le Continental in Arua City. The region also has several three-star hotels, including the Acholi Inn, but currently lacks two-star hotels in Lira City or elsewhere in northern Uganda.