The Institute of National Museums of Rwanda (INMR) has set an ambitious target to double its annual cultural tourism revenue from the current Rwf200 million to Rwf400 million.

As part of the broader strategy to achieve this goal, the body has embarked on revamping museum structures and service packages across the country.

Rwanda has a rich cultural heritage with enormous potential to generate revenue through tourism. If well harnessed, it can generate more than the target of Rwf400 million. The move by the INMR is a step in the right direction and should be supported by all stakeholders.

However, it will take hard work and perseverance to ensure that cultural tourism plays a robust role in the country’s economic development.

The institution should introduce more innovative projects like the recent launch of a children’s library at the environment museum in Karongi District.

Cultural tourism is popular with academia and history researchers. Therefore, education institutions and schools at all levels should be targeted. Engaging education institutions is a smart strategy if INMR is to attract learners to visit museums. It must also come up with more special packages and programmes that will attract schools to regularly send learners to museums for learning purposes, especially about the history of the country.

There is also need for aggressive marketing of other services offered by the museums like venues for events like weddings and conference halls, among others. The marketing should be done locally and internationally to attract foreign tourists as well.

Between 180,000 and 200,000 people visit Rwanda’s eight museums per year butv with more efforts, this number will more than double. At the individual level, every citizen should make it a culture to visit the country’s tourism attractions, and museums are among the many tourist attractions in the country.