Local tourism stakeholders have pledged to undertake a major campaign to consolidate the country’s gains in tourism and unleash the sector’s full potential.

The move comes just days after Rwanda became the first country in East, Central and North Africa, to join the highly prestigious International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP), sealing her growing reputation as a preferred tourist destination.

This was after the country featured among the top five Emerging Destinations, worldwide, during the 2011 Wanderlust Travel Awards, a ranking that was based on a global online poll, by Wanderlust, a British travel magazine.

In the recent past, the Government has invested heavily to take the country’s tourism industry to the next level. Nonetheless, the face of local tourism remained the endangered Mountain Gorillas, with little proceeds from other tourism areas, such as national parks, cultural heritage and art crafts.

However, the latest move to re-brand the country’s tourism by promoting other tourist attractions is poised to make a huge difference, considering that the Government is closely partnering with all the private operators. In particular, the initiative seeks to promote domestic tourism by encouraging nationals to take time off and visit their country’s splendor.

Indeed, it is through such Private-Public Partnerships that the country will be able to deliver on her economic programmes. Other sectors, too, should take the same route.

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