At the 23rd World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) global summit in Kigali on Thursday, Rwandan President Paul Kagame invited the world to visit the country.
The two-day Global Summit, which has begun at the Kigali Convention Centre, marks a significant milestone for Rwanda as it becomes the first African country to host this event.
In his key not speech, Kagame mentioned that nearly 30 years ago, Rwanda decided to focus on tourism as a significant factor in the effort to recover from a very traumatic period in its history.
This decision has proven to be successful in terms of boosting the country’s economy, and the outcomes have been quite positive.
”Let me explain why this moment is so meaningful for us. Almost thirty years ago, Rwanda experienced its darkest moment. This was a place that people fled from. A situation that the world looked away from in horror, but we vowed not to let the past define us. This meant building a nation where all Rwandans live in peace and dignity,” he said.
The Head of State further noted, “Every year, we welcome so many visitors who come to Rwanda to enjoy the unique natural beauty, attend sporting events, or participate in gatherings like this. This is a privilege and a trust that we do not take for granted.”
On visiting Rwanda, President Kagame who thanked WTTC for choosing Rwanda as the venue for this year’s summit encouraged the summit attendees to visit the beauty of Rwanda saying, “I hope you will take some time to visit Rwanda before you depart, and that you will return here often.”
The Rwandan Head of State also mentioned that the country is delighted that Nyungwe National park is now a World Heritage Site, revealing that the country is also investing in the infrastructure and skills to host major sports events such as the Basketball Africa League.
Rwanda was praised for its incredible work in developing the tourism industry.
Julia Simpson, the President and CEO of WTTC, praised the Rwandan government for their hard work in developing the tourism industry, which plays a crucial role in the country’s economy and provides jobs for a large portion of the population.