Rwanda’s tourism to be re-branded

Rwanda’s tourism is set to receive a new brand image by end of 2012, a move aimed at invigorating the current tremendous success the sector has registered. The branding which will create a description of the country’s lustrous sector will increase tourist volumes, boost domestic tourism seen as a back up for the foreign tourism when it recedes in less busy seasons. “It has to be a huge campaign that will promote the country’s tourism as a whole”, Edwin Sabuhoro, Chairman Tourism chamber, said in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Times. He noted that branding would help in internationally selling destinations as a package that will give tourists a variety and a chance to plan for their long stay, thus increasing the amount of money spent. “It is basically a cluster that brings out all stakeholders which is working on this branding,” he said adding that the branding will give a strategic way of marketing and promoting tourism with a clear tag people would know it for. The country has been marketing the tourism sector on a variety of tags and under one brand of Gorillas which, according to Sabuhoro, branding would promote and tap into more tourist attraction destinations such a cultural tourism, birding, among others. The move, according to sector analysts, will help tourism achieve its projected US$ 216 million receipts this year from US$ 200 million earned last year, superseding again the coffee and tea receipts that raced behind it. Tourism bagged US$ 56.6 millionin the first quarter of 2011, compared to US$ 43 million in the same period last year, projecting an increment of 32 percent with coffee and tea pulling $35.7 million and $31.5 million, respectively. Manzi Kayihura of a Thousand Hills Expedition and chairman of Rwanda Tour and Travel Association, is optimistic that through this branding the sluggish domestic tourism will further be promoted. ”The potential of domestic tourism is huge; it has the ability to grow,” he said adding that there is need to tap into this opportunity with private players taking a lead role under the sector’s public private sector partnership which is still the strongest in the country. Bart Gasana, 1st Vice chairman Tourism Chamber, said that this is being achieved through a tourism action plan that draws out several activities that will boost the sector. “We are bringing together all the stakeholders in the sector under their associations on a roundtable to present their action plans and see what they share in common,” he said According to Gasana, the action plan roundtable processes are executed under the chamber’s associations of Hotel and Restaurants Associations, Rwanda Tour and travel Association, Rwanda safari guides Association, among others. Dennis Karera, Chairman of Rwanda Hotels and Restaurants Association, believes that improving standards so as guests can enjoy their stay and prolong their visits will help increase revenues from tourism. “Our hotels are contributing significantly to the economic development because they directly bring money from tourism closer to people,” he said adding that people benefit from tourism through supply of food stuffs to hotels and employment. Kabera Callixte the Rector of Rwanda Tourism University College, said that institutions have embarked on churning out professional and skilled personnel to address the issues of poor customer care and snail service delivery. “There is need to train more people to handle customers, especially providing basic skills to supervisors and customer care staff, ” he said.. Ends