The travel and tourism industry has been greatly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to severe consequences for companies and economies dependent on tourism. However, some countries are beginning to see recovery in the travel and tourism sector and various areas of their economy. Rwanda is one such country.
According to Clare Akamanzi, the Chief Executive of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda is experiencing a recovery from various sectors of the economy, including travel and tourism, despite the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Akamanzi made this pitch at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on January 17th, 2023, where she addressed investors and business leaders.
Rwanda’s delegation at the WEF also included the Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire, the Minister of Environment Jeanne D’Arc Mujawamariya, and the Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Ildephonse Musafiri, The New Times reported.
According to Akamanzi, the Rwandan government is focusing on a “low volume high yield tourism strategy” to recover from the pandemic’s effects on the travel and tourism sector. She added that the approach has worked, and the country is gradually surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
When asked about Rwanda’s tourism strategy, Akamanzi stated that the country is not investing its strategy, marketing, and promotion targeting backpackers but instead targeting people that the government thinks are high yield, “they want safety, they want cleanliness, they want organization, they want infrastructure, and we do our best to give them that quality so that they can pay for it.”
She also added that the government has been working with renowned conservationists to reintroduce and rehabilitate other national parks and diversify the products offered to tourists in the country. According to her, this will help engage tourists in other activities and spend longer in Rwanda.
The CEO also highlighted that as a result of this approach, the country has seen a 21% increase in revenue compared to pre-pandemic earnings and an almost 10-fold increase in people opting for exclusive trekking.
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