Kikonko Lodge has achieved “Engaged” status by Fair Trade Tourism (FTT), recognising the lodge’s steps to strengthen its sustainability and marking an important milestone on its journey toward full certification.
“While we are already committed to strong sustainability practices, the audit provided us with valuable ideas on how to become even better,” explains Richard Businge from Kikonko Lodge. “We are grateful for this experience, as it has helped us further improve our sustainability standards and ensure that we offer our guests the perfect holiday.”
Kikonko Lodge’s electricity comes entirely from a solar system with recycled lithium batteries. They also purchase their groceries locally, avoiding packaging as much as possible. You won’t find any single-use plastic bottles or plastic chairs, straws, etc, on site either. Guests are encouraged to bring their own water bottles for free water refills.
The lodge is perched above Lake Albert near Hoima in Uganda, offering guests elevated views of the surrounding landscape, as well as various activities that connect them to the local environment and culture (including Rift Valley and Bugoma).
Due to its location, there is no water or waste collection on site. This means the lodge encourages guests to use water sparingly and separates all the waste it produces. Organic waste goes into a compost area on the property, and all plastic and glass waste goes to Kampala for recycling.
Enabel-ing FTT’s expansion into Uganda
This progress has been supported by the Belgian development agency Enabel, which is actively promoting responsible tourism and capacity building in Uganda’s tourism sector. Enabel provided funding to support Kikonko’s FTT training and membership fee, helping to make entry to the responsible-tourism pathway more affordable for the lodge and similar small-to-medium enterprises. This forms part of a larger project of promoting responsible tourism in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.
A step closer to certification
For Kikonko Lodge, FTT-Engaged is a practical way to formalise existing measures, demonstrate accountability to stakeholders, and plan targeted improvements that will strengthen long-term social and environmental outcomes.
FTT-Engaged is a "step-in" approach to the Fair Trade Tourism Certification journey. Recognising the challenges that many businesses in Africa face in achieving full certification, FTT-Engaged prioritises tangible sustainability practices over more advanced management systems, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can participate in responsible tourism. It incorporates approximately one-third of the criteria required for full Fair Trade Tourism Certification, making it a more achievable first step for businesses committed to ethical and sustainable operations.
FTT-Engaged is available for all tourism products based in Africa, including accommodation, activities, attractions, food services, volunteer tourism, and community tours (a 'stand-alone' day excursion involving third-party service providers, not as an add-on to accommodation). Applications are verified through an online report, evidence review, a telephonic interview, and a remote site tour. It is renewed and re-verified every two years.
For bookings and more information, visit https://kikonko.com.