Just like elsewhere, where regional or international sports tournaments, exhibitions and other lucrative events have happened, Rwanda hosting the Under 20 African Youth Championship has experienced the impact of this tournament.

Though it’s on a lower tone compared to other massive sports events that have happened else where, the under 20 African Youth Championship has already impacted the Rwandan society both in the social and business sense.

Observing it from a business angle, entrepreneurs with systems offering services required by the stakeholders of this tournament such as Hotels, transport systems, supermarkets and others have reaped big from this event.

According to Emanuel Bugingo the tournament’s in charge of transport and protocol, the companies that were tendered to provide transport services, like Belvedere are satisfied with the pay and are offering excellent services.

"Both the visitors and the service providers are satisfied with the course of things. Although there were some irregularities accruing from time management failures, the companies checked it and things normalised,” said Bugingo.

The visiting players of the different countries participating in the tournament are accommodated in various Hotels around Kigali, for instance Mali and Ivory Coast stay in Alpha Palace Hotel, Ghana and Egypt are in Mille Collines, Nigeria in Gorilla Hotel, Cameroon in Top Tower Hotel and Rwanda stay in Stipp Hotel.

Bugingo added that the Players and the Officials have been transported satisfactorily to their different destinations, in vehicles with appropriate standards and the protocol offering company has also played its part, making visitors feel at home.

On top of the major sponsors of the tournament, the Television and other media outlets have also received a boost in their viewer-ship and this of course comes with effectiveness in advertisement and promotions.

The cross-cultural idea sharing opportunity that has come with this tournament, owing it to the fact that it involves stakeholders from different parts of the continent, people will benefit from each other on how to develop their careers.

The connections that can be created with the gurus of the game and club scouts that have also graced the event can be turned into tangible life changing opportunities for all the young players in the tournament.

The success of this tournament will create a precedent for Rwanda. It will prove that we have the capacity to organise and host big events, given the fast developing hospitality and service industries.

Contact: gahimore@yahoo.com