RDB to focus on tourism in 2014/15 Budget

Rwanda Development Board (RDB) will focus on promoting tourism, as another avenue to increase the country’s tourism exports revenues in the 2014/15 financial year. This was announced by Clare Akamanzi, the RDB chief operations officer, who was on Wednesday appearing before the parliamentary Standing Committee on National Budget and Patrimony to expound on the Board’s Budget Framework for the next financial year. She said they will focus on; increasing strategic investments as well as converting existing investments to become operational, diversifying exports and reducing the cost of doing business. RDB’s budget structure stands at Rwf49 billion, an increase of Rwf9 billion in the current financial year budget. According to RDB tourism report 2013, the sector fetched $293.6 million, a slight increase compared to the $281.8 million generated in 2012. “Tourism registered a four percentage increase last year,” Akamanzi said. She added, “RDB is focusing on exploring other possible ways of making tourists enjoy a pleasant, yet longer stay in Rwanda.” The reports added that, the total number of leisure visitors who visited Rwanda increased by 10 per cent compared to the previous year. Business visitors, accounting for almost 425,000, have increased by only one per cent. “We need to boost local tourism, so that it matches regional iconic tourist attractions,” said Akamanzi. Key priorities that will be focused on in tourism sector include the construction of a cable car at Karisimbi Mountain, new cultural villages around Kigali, modernising religious tourist centres of Kibeho and Congo Nile in Rutsiro District, among others. During the deliberations, MP Theobald Mporanyi asked why hospitality projects like the Kigali Convention Centre and Marriot Hotel had taken long to be completed, to which RDB officials said Marriot will be open by December this year, while the Convention Centre will be fully operational by the end of next year. Last week RDB launched a convention bureau to boost tourism in the country.