LOCAL TOURISM VOICES
Who tells the story of a destination?
Tourism is about places, people and stories. The way destinations are described shapes how they are perceived, which visitors they attract and how communities are represented. Yet across much of Africa, tourism narratives are still largely shaped by external voices (international media), travel platforms and foreign influencers. Local communities often appear in these narratives as backdrops rather than as authors.
Local Tourism Voices is a journalism and storytelling initiative by Vice Versa Global that aims to change that. By supporting local journalists and digital creators, the project builds narratives rooted in the lived realities of communities themselves.
Hear directly from the journalists, influencers and storytellers who took part in the first Local Tourism Voices Story Lab in Gulu, Northern Uganda — March 2026.
The Gulu Story Lab — March 2026
In March 2026, Vice Versa Global organised the first Local Tourism Voices storytelling lab in Gulu, Northern Uganda.
A group of journalists, storytellers and influencers from the Acholi region came together for an intensive week of training, reporting and story development. Participants explored destinations across Northern Uganda, interviewed local communities, and developed their own stories on culture, history, entrepreneurship and everyday life.
The programme combined narrative journalism training with social media storytelling. Influencers including Shantel Immac Kyasiimire and Kasese’s Finest participated throughout the week. TikTok creator Simple Gladys — one of the most followed digital creators in Gulu — contributed to the storytelling process and brought behind-the-scenes perspectives to a wider online audience.
Participants developed their own story ideas through field reporting rather than pre-assigned topics, resulting in a diverse collection of narratives that genuinely reflect local perspectives.
The Stories
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Traditional Acholi dance as a vehicle for healing — community members in Gulu share how cultural performance is rebuilding identity and resilience after decades of conflict. Filmed March 2026.
Are you a journalist, storyteller or tourism operator?
We are building a growing network of local storytellers across Uganda. If you are a journalist, influencer, digital creator or tourism operator interested in joining — we’d love to hear from you.
The Gulu lab is a pilot. The longer-term ambition is to build a growing network of local storytellers starting in Northern Uganda and expanding to other tourism regions across the country.
Contribute to the project by contacting us or simply filling in the submission form to submit your story.