10 year Rwanda Tourism Plan Approved

The Sustainable Tourism Development Master Plan for Rwanda approved by a cabinet meeting recently, assesses the current tourism industry and proposes the industry's strategic growth direction in the next decade.

The 182-page document developed in collaboration with the government of Rwanda, the private sector and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) identifies Kigali, the capital of Rwanda as the main tourism hub and other six Destination Management Areas (DMAs) across the country.

The DMAs include Volcanoes Area (north), Akagera Area (east) Muhazi Area (east), Kibuye Area (west), Nyungwe Area (west) and Gisenyi in the western part of Rwanda.

"DMAs are designed to revitalise economies of tourism areas, contribute to the protection and development of conservation and heritage sites where market development pressures are being felt, and where a balance between sustaining the local economy and protecting the environment needs to be reached,"

The master plan identifies hurdles to the development of the Rwandan tourism industry and proposes solutions to them. Some of the hurdles include lack of facilities and services, product gaps, insufficient marketing, in adequate marketing of the sector and skills deficiencies.

The plan notes some hurdles like limited flights to Rwanda, Rwanda's invisibility in the international market place, and limited product offer are fundamental.

"Rwanda offers the international tourism market a very limited product offer in terms of variety, quantity and quality. Rwanda's current product offer is effectively limited to the Gorilla," reads the plan.

"Compounding this, the country's nature resources are in a 'raw state' - lacking supporting infrastructure for the most part, inadequately packaged, and where available very basic."

It proposes that Community Based Tourism, Conferences and Meetings and cultural tourism are among Rwanda's potential attractions that need attention.

The plan earmarks products like birding, water tourism and the national parks as outstanding for the country's tourism industry. The plan notes that Rwanda lacks tourist legislation to regulate the industry and protect the tourists. It also says that implementation of the planning legislation is weak and this can undermine investment and the future of the country's cultural heritage.

Karibu: East Africa’s largest tourism fair takes place in Arusha, Tanzania

Now in its 11th year, Tanzania’s Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair is the largest and most ambitious travel industry event in East Africa.

As such, it has become “the place to meet,” for the region’s travel industry partners from around the world. The 2010 Karibu Fair, which will take place June 4-6, promises to be the largest ever. The Karibu Fair takes place just outside of Arusha, Tanzania’s safari capital. The annual event is organized by the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO), Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT).

According to Amant Macha, TTB’s Acting Managing Director, “Tanzania is very proud that the Karibu Fair, that started as a modest initiative, has evolved into a major travel industry showcase for all the East African destinations."

Part of the uniqueness and excitement of The Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair is that it is an outdoor event that offers a real safari experience. Over 250 exhibitors and thousands of regional and international visitors are expected to attend the 2010 Fair, which is open to the trade on June 4th and the public on June 5th and 6th. Travel industry suppliers, large and small, including Tour Operators, tourist boards, hoteliers, and support service representatives and equipment manufacturers are typical participants. International travel trade journalists regularly cover the event along with local media, and "familiarization trips" are being offered to encourage international travel agents to attend.

James Haigh, Sales and Marketing Manager, Singita Grumeti Reserves in Tanzania, in speaking about the Karibu Fair commented ”I go to the Karibu Fair because I have found that it is the one event where one can meet all the major players, buyers and suppliers, in the East African tourism industry."

Macha added “Since America continues to be Tanzania’s number one source market for tourists, we are making a special effort to attract more travel agents from the US market. There are currently over 1400 qualified Tanzania Travel Agent Specialists in the US, and we hope to encourage them to participate by offering special pre and post safaris.”

Bikingi Gorilla Group on Track

By Geoffrey Baluku

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has in the past few months been habituating another group of Mountain Gorillas (Bikingi) for tourism. This arose from an earlier public outcry where industry stake holders questioned the rationale of UWA awarding monopoly rights of Nkuringo gorillas to a private investor under the disguise of doing it for the local community.

Bikingi group which is in the southern sector of Bwindi Forest National Park will be the 8th group to be habituated. Other groups include Nshongi that was officially opened for Tourism in September 2009, Bitukura Group in Ruhija, Nkuringo, Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura and Kyaguriro that is currently being used for research. The eight habituated gorilla groups constitute about 25% of the total gorilla population in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Gorilla tracking contributes over 60 % of tourism revenue to the coffers of the Ugandan government.

According to researchers, "overall, the gorilla population has been increasing at an approximate annual growth rate of 1%, which is indicative of a healthy population".

The director of conservation, Sam Mwandha, said, “It is too early to say when they will be able to accept human presence for the Bikingi group. We will probably be able to establish this in the next few months.”

The total Mountain Gorilla population in the whole world is estimated to be about 760 with about 340 in the jungles of Bwindi Forest as the rest straddle through Mgahinga, Rwanda and DR Congo.