Africa is, for most foreign tourists, a once in a lifetime dream destination. Take the example of the equatorial beauty of the moisture-rich Nyungwe forest in the south-west. Or Lake Kivu, in the west, which represents a sort of idyllic inland sea. Or the volcanic mountains, those sentinels in the north-west. The savannah lands that make up the Akagera Park to the east, evoking East Africa’s unparalleled wildlife heritage. If that were not enough, there is the jewel in the crown of this country of dream-like vistas: gorilla trekking in the volcanic mists. Rwanda should be that once-in-a-lifetime country of choice, concluded the Africa-weathered, foreign correspondent for whom Rwanda was just one stop in many an African country he had visited or lived in. The recently introduced East African single tourist visa seeks to encourage tourists from traditional markets to spread their tourist dollars across Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. Each one boasts several unique attractions; from landscapes, to culture, to the 3Ss – sun, sea and sand. Plus, of course, the Big Five – lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and leopard (no, tigers are not found in Africa) – which are at the top of this list. Catering for these external-to-Africa markets has been the traditional approach. Yet, the number of these foreign tourists to the region stubbornly hovers around the 1 million visitors per year mark for each of the East African countries. Why do 16 million tourists visit Paris every year, when all it has is some old buildings, posed a senior government official, perplexed that Kenya’s unique attractions did not garner many more millions of visitors than Paris. Why do Italians make the best shoes in the world? Before any Italian woman buys one pair of shoes, she has tried on an average of 77 pairs. The supposedly tested theory conveys the message that the average Italian woman has very exacting demands. This in turn spurs the makers of shoes to achieve a level of excellence that draws other, non-Italians, to the market of quality shoes. Markets with high tourist numbers are often patronised by their own local tourists. Many Americans travel to New York City to see the myriad sights and experience the exciting attractions. One could argue that it is now that opportunity knocks for East African countries to boost local tourism, given initiatives like the One Sky, One Network, One Region. Ten to 15 years ago, few local tourists were to be seen on Kenya’s stunning, white-sand, public beaches, let alone in the private, luxury beach hotels. Efforts to encourage local tourism were met with the mythical thinking that Africans neither like beach holidays, nor can they afford them. In fact, they prefer to visit their ancestral villages up country. In some spots, radical change has happened. The erstwhile spattering of sun worshippers, their scantily-dressed bodies barely discernible from the powder-soft, white sand, no longer exists. Instead, what can now be seen is a dark mass of bobbing, black inner tubes atop of which sit hundreds of local, mostly up-country tourists. While inner tube polo is an international competitive sport, inner tube tourism appears to be a clever local innovation. Recycling inner tubes from used vehicle tyres, entrepreneurs have enabled access to the playful wonders of the ocean for a clientele not necessarily keen to swim. What used to be secluded and exclusive beaches 15-20 years ago, are now covered at peak holiday times, such as Christmas, with thousands of leisurely strolling, modestly attired locals. The pale sands now inversely obscured from view by the masses. At the upper-end of the socio-economic spectrum, the dining-rooms and swimming pools of five-star hotels are filled with a clientele of young parents and their young children; a Kenyan middle-class that is on the rise. Instead of black, recycled inner-tubes, one sees expensive, colourful, aquatic toys and other floating devices. Tourists from traditional markets no longer dominate these up-market spaces; indeed they are often the minority. These demographic shifts in tourism populations are not necessarily about a fall in tourist numbers from traditional markets. They are, rather, a reflection of an unprecedented rise in the number of local tourists. The numbers still fall short of what many consider they could, or even should be. The mindsets are beginning to change and the value of holidays away from ancestral villages are taking precedence. Nonetheless, affordability still remains an issue. In Norway, a country renowned for its social innovations, the government gives money to its citizens just before the European summer. It is, in effect, a sort of government savings scheme. Additional taxes are collected by the government beforehand with the sole purpose of giving it back and thus enable Norwegians to take a holiday during this traditional travel season for Europeans. The Kenyan government recently proposed a tax break to employers who could prove they had paid for local holidays for their staff. The aim was to reinvigorate a flailing tourist market and encourage Kenyans to travel. Rwanda is renowned for its insurance scheme, Mutuelle de Sante, whereby an estimated 95 per cent of all its citizens enjoy health coverage. Recent research claims that taking holidays helps improve sleep, cuts blood pressure and even helps weight loss, boosts energy levels and makes people happier long after they return from vacation. A healthier nation saves the government from expending much needed resources. Perhaps a government-inspired travel facility could induce and seduce ordinary Rwandans to travel the land of a thousand hills while creating employment and economic opportunities. If Italians can demand excellence in shoe making and thereby draw in the world, why not Rwandans in tourism? Furthermore, a nation’s improved public health can lead to a country’s improved financial health. So in the end, you win what you save. Currently based in Rwanda, the writer comments about people, organizations and countries whose stories create a chrysalis for ideas. mmuteshi@ymail.com
