NYARUGENGE - The Rwandan tourism sector has raised US80$ million in its first six months, surpassing the US$68 that was anticipated for the entire year, making it the number one foreign exchange earner contributing 3.7% of the GDP.

This was revealed on Monday during the mid-term evaluation meeting which the Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) carried out at Hotel Des Mille Colline.

The turnover is attributed to a general increase in tourists visiting the country. A total of 408,482 tourists have been registered so far, a 3.4% increase according to last year’s report.

Another aspect that is believed to be responsible for the good results is the success realised in the recently concluded Gorilla naming ceremony (Kwita Izina), that attracted over 150 conservationists both local and international.

"While we are very proud of these results, we are aware that this has been possible by the support we have got from our government, our mother ministry MINICOM, the travel agents, hotels, and the office of immigration, BNR and recreational facilities,” said Rosette Rugamba, the Director General of ORTPN.

"We must celebrate but remain cognizant of the challenge and need to continuously improve the experience of visiting and being in Rwanda,” added Rugamba.

ORTPN earmarked Frw56.7 million for support of Child-headed Households of the Genocide survivors in Ntarama, part of its corporate social policy.

Also, 5% of tourism revenue was injected into community projects around national parks as part of its Revenue Sharing policy.

In its trans-boundary collaboration initiative, ORTPN has spent US$131,000 this year.

It spent US$97,000 on revenue sharing with cross-country gorilla tourism last year.

During the evaluation, it was revealed that some new products such as introducing a boat on Lake Kivu to step up water tourism, and establishing Cave tourism in Musanze which will be launched in 2008, are in the pipeline.

After successfully launching Bird Watching in 2007, research on how to improve the bird watching experience has been carried out in Rwanda.

The country is now an eligible bird-watching destination and will showcase at the Birding Trade Fair in London which will be held on 15th-17 August this year.

In the next six months, ORTPN plans to launch six community revenue-sharing projects in Akagera and Nyungwe National Parks, plus attending four international trade fairs and a local one.

It also has plans of elaborating the tourism master plan and ORTPN strategic plan for five years, among others.

This year, the tourism sector emerged the best exhibitor, for the second time running, at the world’s largest tourism trade fair in Berlin.

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