According to statistics from Rwanda Development Board (RDB), African tourists dominated visits to Rwanda in the first semester of 2011, a phenomenon that indicates the country’s increasing attractiveness to the region and the entire continent.
African tourists to Rwanda increased by 28 per cent to 340,379 compared to the same period last year with the figure representing 84 per cent of 405,042 visitors that the country received.
Rica Rwigamba, the Head of Tourism and Conservation at RDB said, “Emphasis is to increase the leisure market and position Rwanda as a major leisure destination. We have done a good job in branding Rwanda as a safe destination, so now we need to talk more about leisure.”
Majority of the African visitors were from East Africa, South Africa and the DR Congo.
RDB indicates that Akagera National Park and mountain gorillas were the dominant attractions in 2011, while the canopy walk in Nyungwe Forest was the best selling product of all Rwanda safaris.
