KIGALI – Rwanda’s Tourism Board Strike Deal with Tanzania to Promote Tourism and jointly market the two countries as complementary destinations in their latest efforts to offer the tourists expansive adventure space.
The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) and Rwanda Tours and Travel Association (RTTA) are behind the deal that was sealed recently to encourage tourists to spend more nights and money within the two East African partner states. The partnership was signed between the Rwanda Tours and Travel Associations (RTTA) and the Tanzania Association of Travel Association (TATO) with the major objective of increasing the length of stay and money spent by travelers to Rwanda and Tanzania.
The key objective of TATO and RTTA strategic partnership is to increase the length of stay of tourists visiting
Recently, Tour operators from both countries engaged in a Business-to-Business (B2B) networking event in Kigali, Rwanda, where they deliberated the opportunities after Tanzania tour operators having visited various tourist sites.
TATO members visited Volcanoes National Park with mountain gorillas, did kayaking and boat riding on Lake Kivu and canopy walkway in the Nyungwe Forest, among other tourism spots visited, as part of their mission to explore tourist products in Rwanda.
It’s now possible to book a Rwanda Tanzania combined a safari with no difficulty. The two countries formed a joint effort to promote tourism products in Rwanda and Tanzania as a one safari package. Ariella Kageruka, the Director General of Chamber of Tourism Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation, urged the operators in these two EAC countries to reinforce their network and exchange their experience about tourism business opportunities.
The new strategy will design travel itineraries that cut across two Rwanda and Tanzania giving visitors a chance to explore tourist attractions in the two countries on one trip. Fortunately, Rwanda and Tanzania offer different tourism products, which give them a comparative advantage. TATO and RTTA are tourism bodies that bring together all travel and tour operators in Tanzania and Rwanda respectively.
Tourism is presently one of the leading economic sectors that earn a lot of foreign exchange for a different tourism destination. In Rwanda tourism alone contributes contribute over 50% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product through the sale of gorilla permits and other tourism activities in Rwanda. While in Rwanda, TATO members engaged in Rwanda’s top tourism products such as gorilla trekking in volcanoes national park, canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park, kayaking and boat riding to Lake Kivu. Also, the two partner states agreed to strongly promote the conservation of wildlife and culture in their respective countries.
Over the years, Rwanda and Tanzania have seen an increased number of tourist arrivals, which created a need for the extensive market to attract more visitors to come and explore the two countries. Tourism is undeniably a new frontier to move east African continent out of poverty playing as a source of formal and informal employment opportunities with the long value chain. The new partnership will help TATO and RTTA to promote tourism products in Rwanda and Tanzania as a combined package. In the meeting, travel operators from Rwanda and Tanzania shared their travel experiences and it was surely a good moment.
