Rwanda will host the 41st world tourism conference on 28th-31st August at Kigali Convention Centre.
The conference focuses on discussing practical strategies for boosting tourism as a driver for economic growth and job creation through innovative business models, new technologies and strategic partnerships in Africa and globally.
The airlines, tour operators and travel agents; tourism experts, hoteliers, investors, senior government officials from across the world are expected to attend this high-level meeting to share experiences and new tourism markets and products.
Among panelists on the agenda; Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); Dr. Amany Asfour, Chairperson – Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Business Council; Sherry Dzinoreva – Africa Public Policy Programs Manager, Facebook; Hon. Charles Banda, Minister of Tourism and Arts, Republic of Zambia; Belise Kariza, Chief Tourism Officer, Tourism and Conservation Department at Rwanda Development Board, among others.
Rwanda’s tourism sector recorded more than $400 million revenue earnings last year up from $370 million in 2015.
With the expansion of new touristic attractions including Mukura-Gishwati National Park, a Cultural-Village in Kigali City; the completion of the state-of-art hospitality facilities such as Kigali Convention Centre and Marriot Hotel, Rwanda projects to fetch $444 million from tourism sector next year.
According to RDB, meetings, incentives, events and conferences (MICE) are expected to inject $64 million into Rwanda’s economy in 2017 up from $47 million generated in 2016.
On the other hand, the African continent fared well over 15 years in tourism industry. In 2014 alone, Africa received a total of 65.3 million international tourists who visited continent’s attractions and earned $43.6 billion revenue. The increase is far bigger compared to 17.4 million tourists in 1990, according to the World Tourism Organization.
Source : KT Press
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