Construction of the luxury Kiningi Serena Lodge is scheduled to commence during the third quarter of this year, following complete renovation of Kigali Serena Hotel.

This is a move that will further boost  the country’s tourism and service sectors respectively.

According to the Serena Hotels’ Managing Director, Mahmud Janmohamed,the new luxury facility estimated at a cost of $8 million will be located in the Northern Province close to the Volcano National Park which is the natural habitat for mountain gorillas.

"Our aim is to play a pivotal role in boosting the tourism sector which is at the heart of Rwanda’s overall economic development strategy,” said Janmohamed in a press release on Wednesday.

Government expects to generate $206 million from tourism this year, up from $174 million last year. Hotel’s management also announced that the renovation of Kigali Serena Hotel is also set to enter its second and final phase later this month.

This follows completion of the first phase which saw the addition of an ultra modern new wing comprising of a total of 44 guest rooms and a two-storey state of the art Maisha Spa facility with a contemporary
swimming pool at a cost of $18.7 million.

"This investment is critical for Kigali Serena Hotel as the premier attraction for business travellers and tourists in Rwanda; the new facilities will ensure they experience unparalleled world class comfort and convenience” Janmohamed said.

The second phase of the program will involve alterations, extensions and refurbishment of various facilities including the old bedroom block, public areas, lifts, business center, meeting rooms, existing shops, offices and the reception area at a cost of $ 4.2 million.

Statistics from the tourism office in the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) show that the country has 4,225 hotel rooms compared to 3,438 registered at the end of last year representing a record of 23 percent
increase in the number of hotel rooms.

Rwanda needs about 6,000 rooms by 2012 to accommodate the increasing number of tourists.

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