Authentic tourism based on sustainability – meet Loremi Tours
When you meet Gloria Adyero, you immediately feel her warm, confident energy and her passion for her work. The young social entrepreneur and CEO founded Loremi Tours, a tourism company with a unique proposition and sustainability at its heart. Quite recently, Loremi Tours was named as one of the top 10 companies in the CBI’s Sustainable Business Award. Ahead of her trip to German and Swiss trade fairs, Gloria answered our questions, allowing us to learn more about her and the sustainability story behind her company.
Rooted in community
Growing up during the war in Acholi, Gloria experienced significant insecurity and social disruptions from an early age. But she also saw how her family and community were committed to social work, bringing peace and recovery, which sparked her dedication to social impact. She further developed her entrepreneurial skills after completing university and remained determined to contribute to the region’s restoration. Later, she founded Loremi Tours with a mission to bring about meaningful change in her local community.
What makes Loremi Tours different?
Loremi means “your friends”, reflecting the company’s warm, welcoming spirit. With culture at the forefront, Loremi takes travellers off the beaten track and offers a truly authentic experience of Uganda: From traditional cuisine and village homestays to the hidden gems and encounters with the iconic mountain gorillas.
It is distinctive that the tours are organised by the local residents, which guarantees direct economic benefits and authentic cultural exchange. This community-oriented approach distinguishes Loremi Tours from other operators in the sector.
Forging a new path
Bringing her vision to life was not without challenges. As a young woman in this sector, you already have a considerable disadvantage, especially when you are breaking new ground. In Gloria’s words: “Pushing new ways and daring to be different is difficult in general”. When it comes to sustainability, she noticed that many sustainability frameworks are Western-centred, making them difficult to adapt in local realities and small-scale activities. Also, Uganda’s entrepreneurial ecosystem often lacks the necessary systems and support to help young companies thrive.
As she navigated these complexities, Gloria found grounding in integrating indigenous wisdom and cultural knowledge into sustainability practices. Loremi Tours teaches visitors how to respect local traditions and nature, ensuring that guests are introduced to the indigenous values and principles of living in harmony with nature. Community-based tourism can have negative consequences if not managed properly, and emphasising respect for local practices is one way to address that.
Growing together
One of Gloria’s proudest achievements is the recognition of Loremi Tours as a leader in sustainable tourism in Uganda. Their Acholi Homestay and Experience was ranked among the best responsible tourism experiences. Loremi Tours is also a Travelife partner and a part of the Fair Trade Tourism Engaged initiative.
Community involvement in tourism was once a puzzle piece that took a while to understand. Now, it is a source of inspiration to others. The direct impact of her work on communities and seeing her vision become reality gives her a deep sense of fulfilment. Moreover, her team is entirely led by women. She is proud to see how the younger generation tackles challenges with creativity and ambition. She is proud to mentor them and offer them the support she would have liked to have earlier in her own career.
CBI has played a significant role in Loremi’s development. Many of the tour operators Loremi works with were introduced through CBI. The collaboration has provided valuable opportunities for long-term partnerships and market access. The training courses CBI offered, on sustainability and entering the EU market, were impactful and helped Loremi strengthen its knowledge and business practices.
Gloria’s message
Gloria encourages visitors to discover Uganda beyond the national parks and to explore the less-visited regions where cultural heritage and daily life unfold. She believes that Uganda is not complete without its people, traditions and food. Too often, the community and cultural aspects of guided tours are overlooked. She wants to change that. Her mission is to bring these aspects to the forefront of tourism and create benefits that go beyond that. For example, she would like to introduce visitors to local products such as shea butter. She showed us a beautiful jar she had brought back from Uganda.
Her message to other SMEs is that they should have the courage to be different. Going your own way and doing things in a new way is always difficult, especially when it comes to sustainability. But the results and the impact make it all worthwhile.
When asked about the Ugandan people, she described them ascincredibly friendly, chatty and sunny – a warmth that she wants more people to experience fully and authentically when they visit Uganda.
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