President Kagame today delivered a keynote Address at the 41st Annual World Tourism Conference organized by the Africa Trade Association in collaboration with the government of Rwanda, attended by tourism stakeholders from around the world.
Speaking at the opening of the three-day global conference, President Kagame welcomed everyone and wished them a pleasant stay in Rwanda.
President Kagame told the conference that Rwanda, like other countries on the African continent, was keen to convert its favourable demographics into economic growth and prosperity.
“The services sector, in particular tourism, provides some of the best employment opportunities for our citizens and attractive careers for young people. Already, this sector is Rwanda’s biggest foreign exchange earner, but we can and need to do better. Harnessing the full potential of the tourism industry will require continued focus and investment on several fronts.”
President Kagame said that the responsibility of government and other players in the industry was to continuously provide quality education and training so that Rwandans can fully participate as professionals in tourism and associated sectors.
“We are investing heavily in services and infrastructure to support the development of the sector. Our national carrier RwandAir continues to expand to destinations within Africa and beyond, and will soon have a more modern, efficient base when the new airport in Bugesera is completed. We are also working to improve the road network and attract investments in conference and hotel facilities, such as this convention centre we are in today.”
President Kagame also pointed out that Africans must take full advantage of new technology, particularly innovative digital platforms to attract more visitors, offer new experiences, and provide better services.