East African Business Week (Kampala)
Bosco Hitimana
17 March 2008
Rwanda has again emerged as the best African exhibitor in the just concluded annual world's biggest tourism fair held in Berlin, Germany.
The fair that was held for five days from March 5-9, attracted over 11,000 exhibitors from 186 countries, among them 36 African countries and over 180,000 visitors.
Rwanda's success story for the second time running was announced on Saturday 8, after beating other nine African exhibitors that included in the order of ranking, Tunisia, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Egypt, Tanzania and Eritrea
The Rwandan delegation to the world's tourism biggest fair included the director general of Rwanda office of tourism and national parks (ORTPN) Ms. Rosette Rugamba, the agency's marketing manager Mr. Patrick Manzi, a woman traditional basket weaver and tour operators to mention but a few.
"We have proved to the world that Rwanda is a tourism destination by getting the second trophy," said Rugamba on her arrival at Kigali International Airport last week.
Rwanda's superior position is attributed to the country's traditionally woven baskets 'Agaseke', live cultural performances and traditional dress as well as the stand design which attracted a big chunk of visitors.
The Rwanda base at Berlin was visited by 12 ministers from around the globe. Among the 82 other visitors to the fair were the former Kenyan vice president Mr. Moody Awori.
Kenya, which has been over the last two months torn by political impasse after presidential elections that led to ups and downs in its economic status including tourism sector, is trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild confidence in tourists.
More than four Kenyan ministers and members of the parliament including Awoori visited went to the Berlin fair to convince the world that Kenya is back to normal.
The Rwandan delegation carried with them a stock of 16,000 traditionally woven baskets and supplied them freely accompanied by Rwanda tea and coffee.
"There was determination. We spent three months in preparations and we gave our stand a Nyungwe natural forest look which appeared like a forest," Rugamba said.
The host country Germany, invites countries from all over the world and it provides the framework for making public relations for them.
"It's absolutely fantastic. I feel very proud for this," the German ambassador to Rwanda Mr. Christian Clages said on landing at Kigali International Airport with the Rwandan delegation.
Germany is the third biggest tourist source for Rwanda after the US and UK respectively.
The Rwanda stand was partly marketed by Rwandans based in Belgium who entertained visitors in traditional dances.
"Tourism is all about exhibiting your country in such a worldwide fair. Our stand was the smallest among others with originality because visitors felt they were visiting Rwanda," Rugamba noted. She said five news magazines and TV stations visited the Rwandan stand regularly to pick all they could about the country.
The fair is expected to opened many opportunities for the Rwandan private tour operators. According to the manager of Wild Life Tours Mr. Davidson Mugisha who attended the fair, it was time for the tour operators to make enough business contacts abroad.
"I would say that the fair was great and we made a lot of business contacts. I hope this year we might meet the anticipated figures of targeted visitors," Mugisha noted.
Tourism which was Rwanda's second foreign currency earner after minerals with US$42.3 revenues from 39,000 tourists last year, seeks to register $68m from 50,000 visitors this year.
According to the sector targets, tourism should be able to generate $100million from 70,000 visitors staying at least a minimum of seven hours in the country in 2010.
In 2007, tourism sector received investment estimated at US$78 million and the largest Foreign Direct Investment from Dubai World at $230m. Local private investment in tourism and hospitality facilities was estimated at 57% increase compared to 2006.
New infrastructure like hotels and Kigali convection center are all up due to boost the sector.
Rwanda has introduced new products like night tours, bird watching and many others like the gorilla naming ceremony branded locally as Kwita Izina. Rwanda boasts of two thirds of the 700 mountain gorillas in its natural habitat.
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