Rwanda kỷ niệm Ngày Du lịch Thế giới với trung tâm văn hóa mới

In Rwanda, things are not done by half measure, and well-planned tourism developments provide good examples of how and why the country, fondly known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” has over the

In Rwanda, things are not done by half measure, and well-planned tourism developments provide good examples of how and why the country, fondly known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” has over the past decade increased tourist numbers in leaps and bounds and raked in big money through visitors coming from around the world.

The recent creation of the new Gishwati-Mukura Forest National Park is but one example of how the country has diversified tourism attractions and offerings and at the same time advanced the goal to increase the national forest cover to 30 percent by the year 2020.

While celebrating World Tourism Day yesterday, another new facility was formally launched, the Rulindo Cultural Center along the main road from Kigali to Musanze.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Rwanda Development Board’s (RDB) newly-appointed Chief Tourism Officer, Ms. Belise Kariza, revealed why the Rulindo Cultural Centre was selected as the venue for this year’s celebration of World Tourism Day when she said, “This newly-launched cultural center is a display of local heritage and traditional Rwandan arts and culture, aligning with the government’s vision to improve tourism product diversification to enhance the sector contribution to Rwanda’s economy.”

Rwanda has set ambitious targets of annual tourism receipts of $860 million by 2017, up from $305 million earned by the sector in 2014. This anticipated boost in tourism revenue shows the urgent need for the development of new and innovative tourism products. The Rulindo Cultural Center’s launch, therefore, is in line with the Rwanda Development Board’s mission of connecting various parts of the country through tourism product diversification in order to increase the length of stay of visitors.

An exhibition showcasing art pieces, handicrafts, and tourism beneficiaries’ achievements will bring together 50 regular exhibitors. While opening the center, the RDB also used the opportunity to launch Rwanda’s first cultural documentation – a comprehensive 325-page book retracing the unique and rich Rwanda cultural heritage.

United Nations’ World Tourism Day, celebrated globally, is a reminder to the international community that sustainable tourism has the potential to be the driving force to promote social and economic development and job creation. This year’s theme, as set by the United Nations, is “One billion tourists, one billion opportunities,” pointing to the global collective effort to grow tourism’s potential to generate more opportunities that benefit the world’s population in significant ways. The government of Rwanda readily embraced the theme as it stepped up efforts to develop and diversify the country’s offering, including cultural tourism. The sector remains Rwanda’s leading export, reporting an annual growth rate of 4%.

The Rulindo Cultural Center is located on the Kigali-Musanze road, only a 25-kilometer drive from the capital. Rulindo is home to historic sites, mining, and farmland, and has become a highly-successful, community-based tourism model. Rulindo Cultural Center is a remarkable showcase and preservation of Rwandan culture and tradition through arts.

In related news, it was learned that the new culture center cost 470 million Rwandan francs, while equipment and displays brought the overall cost to 590 million Rwandan francs.

The cultural coffee table book that was launched yesterday costs 15,000 RF and will be available at all RDB sales points and libraries countrywide.

The RDB yesterday also released their latest statistics for tourism arrivals up to 2014, when the sector generated some US$305 million in revenues for the country, compared to US$294 million a year earlier – a rise of 4 percent.

Arrivals into Rwanda in the meantime rose to 1.22 million visitors in 2014, an increase of 9 percent over the previous year. Leading countries of visitor origin, according to the Directorate of Immigration, were the USA which recorded the highest number of arrivals with 24,488 visitors; followed by India with 13,008; the UK with 12,320; Belgium with 8,733; and Germany with 8,228 visitors.

The coveted Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events (MICE) sector outstripped tourism’s general performance. In 2014, Rwanda hosted 19,085 conference visitors, compared to 2013 when the country hosted 15,441, translating to an increase of 24%. This category of visitors is estimated to contribute in 2014 almost US$29 million, corresponding to 31% of revenues generated by business travelers and 10% of all tourism revenues and shows yet sharper rises when the new national convention center opens next year.

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Linda Hohnholz

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