Number of tourists and tourism business opportunities are set to increase in Rwanda and Tanzania

By Elias Hakizimana

The collaboration between Rwanda Tours and Travel Association and   Tanzania Tour Operators Association will help increase tourism business opportunities in both countries.

The two private operators met in a Business to Business Networking event in Kigali to discuss about the opportunities.

Sirili Akko, the Chief Executive Officer of Tanzania Tour Operators Association Tourism is new frontier to move African continent out of poverty because it is key employer.

“It is a sector with very long value chain. East African countries. Tanzania and Rwanda do not have the same products which is business opportunities,” he said.

 He said that Rwanda and Tanzania are high end tourism destinations in the region with strongest conservation policies.

Carolyn Namatovu, The vice chairperson of Rwanda Tours and Travel Association (RTTA) said that the partnership was supported by GIZ.

“When tourists come in Africa, they do not visit only one country but they visit other neighboring countries,” she said.

As Tanzania is the only country with tourism products different from those in Rwanda. We can share tourists who seek to visit different tourism products, she said.

Ariella Kageruka, the Director General of Chamber of Tourism in Private Sector Federation urged the operators in these EAC countries to reinforce the network and exchange the experience about tourism business opportunities.

“She said that movement of people between Rwanda and EAC countries has increased and travels generated more income than those which go far from the region and Africa  and therefore it shows tourism business opportunities.

During the networking event a digital Tourism B2B Trade Portal with a vision to link the operators in the tourism industry across East Africa was unveiled.

The portal was created with target for integration and development of East Africa and engaging citizens of EAC partners in the implementation of EAC common market protocol and showcasing integration experiences.

The portal will enable collaboration, communication, monetization of services and facilitate new business opportunities in EAC tourism industry, get promoted to all operators and international trade in EAC and key source markets whereby international operators and agents will use to look for information.

Under the portal, they can update each other on product knowledge of EAC destinations to sustain an international level of sales culture.