Editor, RE: “Why hospitality sector needs to do more on service delivery” (The New Times, May 31). To Sandra Idossou, what needs to be done to help Rwandan service providers offer better service to people attending MICE, first and foremost, is to not aim at offering the same kind of service as everywhere else in the world. In my view, in the domain of hospitality, there shouldn’t be any international standards—the one (American) way fits all—to welcome guests. Designing a hospitality service is not like designing a chair or a bed. Even in the latter cases, there normally must be necessary adjustments to suit a particular user and context. A Rwandan special touch has to be searched for, found, honed, and branded as such. Quite obviously, many among us have already noticed that “copy and paste” doesn’t work at all. In my opinion, this shouldn’t be the way to go. Instead, there must be a structured way—away for usual improvisations—to find out what is the most practical in all details, to design the Rwandan way to welcome guests. I mean a unique experience that our guests will always remember and one that they will always happily share with their friends and acquaintances. Let us forget about the so-called “international standards”, and instead strive to devise our contemporary Rwandan standard for welcoming guests. Francois-Xavier Nziyonsenga
