The management of La Palisse Hotel in Nyamata has signed a 10-year management agreement with a French hotels chain, Golden Tulip Hotel and Resorts.

Under the deal, the hotel will change the brand name to Golden Tulip La Palisse Kigali.

The hotel has capacity to receive about 500 visitors, according to Augustin Mukezanagabo, the Director General and proprietor of the hotel.

"We have spent about $25 million (about Rwf17.2 billion) so far but still need about $1 million (about Rwf689 million) to complete the works so that we are ready to operate by July,” he said after the signing ceremony on Friday in Nyamata.

The deal was facilitated by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

Golden Tulip Hotel and Resorts now takes over the day-to-day management of the hotel, Mukezanagabo explained.

The hotel proposed to become a four-star will employ more than 225 Rwandans, he said.

It boasts 188 rooms, 44 suites and one presidential suite as well as conference room facilities, among other things, according to Alain Sebah, the president of Golden Tulip Francophone Africa.

Louis Rwagaju, the Mayor of Bugesera District, said the new hotel will provide market to various businesses in the district.

It will help beautify our city and offer a huge market for Bugesera businesses, including vegetable, livestock and fruits farmers, Rwagaju said.

He added that the hotel would also contribute toward tourism development in the district.

"Tourism has been growing in the district over the past three years. More hotels will present an opportunity for visitors to realise the tourism potential of our district, including lakes with many species of migrant birds,” Rwagaju said.

Golden Tulip, Hotel founded in 1962 in France, employs more than 19,000 in its 150 hotels all over the world.Amb. Yamina Karitanyi, the Head of Tourism and Conservation at the Rwanda Development Board, said the new hotel will help improve customer care experience in the country.

"We have been facing a challenge of lack of enough hotels to accommodate people during conferences,” she said, adding that the new hotel, located about 35 km from Kigali, is a timely addition.

"We expect quality and international expertise from them,” Karitanyi said.

Dr Marc Cyubahiro Bagabe, the Director General of Rwanda Standards Board, called on the new hotel to embrace international standards.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw