SC Volcanoes Turn Football Jersey into Tourism Billboard for Kisoro with Arsenal’s Visit Rwanda concept
Derrick Akampurira
SC Volcanoes have borrowed a leaf from Rwanda’s football-based tourism marketing strategy by branding their new official FUFA Big League jersey with the slogan “Visit Kisoro” as the club seeks to promote tourism in Kisoro and the wider Kigezi region.
The initiative will see the “Visit Kisoro” message prominently displayed on the sleeve of the club’s official jersey as the newly promoted side prepares for its debut FUFA Big League campaign.
The move draws inspiration from Rwanda’s “Visit Rwanda” tourism campaign, which gained international visibility through its partnership with English Premier League giants Arsenal.
Rwanda has also extended it’s football tourism marketing strategy through partnerships involving other major European clubs, including Aston Villa.
SC Volcanoes are now adapting the concept to a local setting, using the club’s growing football profile to showcase Kisoro as a destination endowed with mountains, lakes, forests and wildlife.
The campaign is aimed at strengthening tourism in Kigezi, particularly Kisoro, where scenic hills and volcanic mountains surround a landscape dotted with lakes and forests.
Kisoro is home to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and is also a gateway to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, both of which are renowned for mountain gorilla tourism.
The district is also surrounded by the spectacular Virunga mountain ranges, including Mount Muhavura, Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Gahinga, which attract tourists interested in hiking, nature and adventure.
Speaking about the initiative, SC Volcanoes President Dr. Martin Mbonye said,
The club wants to use football as a platform to tell the world about Kisoro’s beauty and tourism potential.
He pointed to the mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks, the bird sanctuary in Echuya Forest, and the region’s mountain ranges as some of the attractions the club intends to promote.
The club also highlighted Kisoro’s scenic lakes, including Lake Mutanda, Lake Mulehe, Lake Mucya, Lake Kayimbu and Lake Chahafi, as part of the district’s tourism potential.
Beyond Kisoro, the wider Kigezi region boasts several other attractions, including Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale and Queen Elizabeth National Park, which extends into parts of Rukungiri District.
The region’s combination of lakes, mountains, forests, wildlife and cultural attractions has made Kigezi an increasingly important destination for both domestic and international tourists.
SC Volcanoes Vice President Captain Arthur Mugisha Rucakatsi, popularly known as Bubu, described the initiative as a give-back campaign aimed at putting Kisoro on the international tourism map.
He added that SC Volcanoes, being a club born and based in Kisoro, wants to fully identify with its home district and contribute to its visibility and development.
The initiative comes at a significant moment for SC Volcanoes, who are preparing for their first season in the FUFA Big League after rising through Uganda’s football pyramid.
With the FUFA Big League expected to give the club greater exposure through match coverage, social media and football networks, the “Visit Kisoro” message could reach audiences well beyond the district.
The club hopes that every match, jersey appearance and piece of media coverage can become an opportunity to market Kisoro’s tourism attractions.
The campaign also presents an opportunity for football and tourism stakeholders to work together in promoting activities such as gorilla trekking, mountain climbing, bird watching, lake excursions, cultural tourism and nature-based adventures.
For SC Volcanoes, the jersey is therefore not simply a symbol of their new status in Uganda’s second-tier football competition. It is also being positioned as a mobile tourism billboard for Kisoro and Uganda at large carrying the message that the football journey of SC Volcanoes can also become a journey of discovery for the district they call home.