Maria's Background
Maria Baryamujura is the Founder and Executive Director of COBATI. Her diverse experience in the tourism industry spans over 25 years. Besides being
the lead promoter of COBATI, she has held prominent responsibilities in the tourism industry, which include Board member of various Public sector
tourism institutions. Maria is a promoter and expert of community tourism.
As a stakeholder, Maria stands out due to her passion for presenting ideas and views about how the industry should shape with focus on community
tourism and how communities can be integrated closer to mainstream tourism. She attends international industry-related training and workshops,
fairs, and conferences and is well recognized in the tourism sector.
Maria is an alumni of Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Centre (MCTC) where she attended a training course in Rural Tourism development
in 1997. Maria links her success in Community Based Tourism to the knowledge and skills she acquired from MCTC. Maria has been an
ASHOKA Fellow since 2006. She was accorded a “Tourism Excellency Award” by the Government
of the Republic of Uganda on World Tourism Day for her contribution towards Tourism Development and Women Empowerment in Uganda.
Through Maria's efforts, COBATI was a
World Bank Development Marketplace 2000 Finalist. Maria is also a Trustee of the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC).
Maria's Work with COBATI
Through COBATI, Maria is spearheading the establishment of a network of homesteads and grassroots tourist attractions across Uganda capable of
delivering quality hospitality services and products to travelers. The idea of homestead tourism is uniquely associated with Maria. She is recognized
as an advocate to increase awareness of the players in the sector and the opportunities that can be generated if community tourism products were
linked to the various tourism circuits in Uganda. Maria's idea is that through the community tourism experience, there can be more enjoyment for
travelers, as well as increased gains to communities.
COBATI's Focus
The uniqueness of Maria's work is the focus on exposing and educating communities on the potential of the endowments surrounding them. Such endowments include the community’s way of life (treasure of culture that can be translated to unique experiences for tourists), historic sites, and the natural resources that communities hardly ever notice. As COBATI’s Director, Maria has created a niche as a capacity developer for communities to create innovative ideas that generate income through tourism and help them use endowments that were otherwise idle. She is hence sourced out and recognized for offering consultancies in this area.
The Future
Maria recognizes that for her ideas to work, she needs strategic networks and partnerships at the industry and market
levels. Since 2000, she has relentlessly pursued with energy and enthusiasm, collaborations with various organisations interested in pro-poor tourism
including SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation), Africa Wildlife Foundation/International Gorilla
Conversation Program, and United Nations Development Program among others.
Maria approaches her work with passion and commitment and views it as a personal mission. She is recognized as a champion for community issues in the
industry. Maria is brave and not afraid to challenge the status quo. She is excited about the possibilities COBATI can achieve.