UTB to Commercialise Kalema-Zikusoka’s ‘Walking with Gorillas’ Audiobook

What the report says

Uganda Tourism Board has said it will help promote and commercialise conservationist Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka’s audiobook, Walking with Gorillas, as part of a wider effort to use conservation storytelling in tourism marketing. According to Nile Post, UTB chief executive Juliana Kagwa said the board would support the audiobook in the same way it has backed the original book, using its digital channels and branding platforms to raise its profile.

The audiobook draws on Kalema-Zikusoka’s own experiences in wildlife conservation, including her role as Uganda’s first wildlife veterinarian, her work with mountain gorillas and the founding of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH). She said the book reflects her view that protecting wildlife also depends on improving the health of communities living near protected areas. The publication also notes that the audiobook was narrated by Kalema-Zikusoka herself and produced with Stone Age Pictures.

Kagwa said tourism promotion needs strong human stories because they help connect audiences to places, communities and wildlife. She argued that Kalema-Zikusoka’s international conservation profile could help Uganda attract visitors while also encouraging support for conservation. The story also mentions a separate pledge from Sheraton Kampala to support CTPH’s work with mountain gorilla conservation and community wellbeing.

More broadly, the development shows how Uganda’s tourism sector is increasingly linking conservation, digital media and private-sector partnerships to promote the country’s natural heritage.