Lack of regulatory framework for tourism industry has significantly affected the industry, the Minister for Trade and Industry, François Kanimba, has said. The minister was tabling a Bill that seeks to regulate the industry. Presenting the Bill before the Chamber of Deputies, Kanimba said the industry is a pillar of economic development and the legislation was a tool necessary to regulate and guide the tourism sector. “If you look at how things have been conducted in the tourism industry, you find that many things were lacking, even if there is a government agency in charge of promoting the policy on tourism development,” Kanimba said. For example, he said, there have been gaps in the manner in which “various public institutions” work with investors in the sector. Rwanda Development Board oversees the sector. “There are many businesses in the industry yet for them to mind about quality services, there must be standards and guidelines as well as a system of monitoring so that the country can make progress,” the minister said. Kanimba said the law aims at putting in place clear guidelines for the development of the sector. He said it need to be adopted urgently in order to improve the sector. The Bill seeks to regulate, among others, licensing and grading of tourism entities, inspection of tourism entities, activities and obligations of tourism entities, and sets up a concept of tourism development levy for capacity building. Highlighting the significance of tourism to the economy, lawmakers unanimously endorsed the basis for the draft law. However, MP Constance Mukayuhi, the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Budget and National Patrimony, said new policies should not entertain sex tourism. The Bill will be further scrutinised by a standing committee.
