RWANDA’S TOURISM REGISTERS UNABATED GROWTH
Information made public yesterday in Kigali show a continued strong sectoral growth for the tourism sector in Rwanda, which besides exports of tea and coffee continues to form a backbone for the country’s economy. Tourism receipt figures given by the Minister of Trade and Industry Francois Kanimba, presently stand at US Dollars 252 million for tourism related receipts, up from US Dollars 227 million a year ago and ahead of the projected 244 million US Dollars by 8 million.
General exports grew over the same period of time from 305 million US Dollars to 429 million US Dollars this year, a sign of sustained success in promoting both traditional as well as non traditional exports to regional and global markets.
The Rwanda Development Board’s Tourism and Conservation Department is set to establish a formal office to promote MICE business, aimed to bring convention and meeting business to Rwanda, and when the new Marriott Hotel will open in early 2013, additional conference facilities and top of the ranks room capacity will not only need to be filled but offer the long awaited boost to Kigali to more effectively capture this lucrative market.
Watch this space for news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands tourism, hospitality and aviation industry.
