RWANDA TOURS
Rwanda’s Tourism Package Diversified with Launching of New Cultural Center
With the launching of the Rulindo Cultural Center plus the Cultural Tourism Guidebook, Safaris in Rwanda are expected to greatly increase. This new tourism site and guidebook are officially-launched in Rulindo district as Rwanda celebrated the international world tourism day.
The establishment of this Rulindo Cultural Center has come at a time when Rwanda Government is adopting a policy that seeks to specifically improve cultural tourism. This new policy will not only present tourism as gorilla safaris or museum tours but also explore the history of Rwanda bringing to light the amazing traditions of the people of Rwanda.
This Rulindo district has been the very first district in which a cultural center has been opened and this is an eye-opener to the districts to take on this kind of imitative that will increase their local revenue through cultural tourism.
Rwanda is looking at these cultural centers as the ideal avenue through which the country’s history and cultural traditions can be well preserved. Rulindo Cultural Center 25km from Rwanda’s capital city Kigali along the Musaze Highway. According to Belisa Kariza the chief tourism officer a Rwanda Tourism Board, the establishment of this project has so far cost Rwf590 million.
Rulindo Cultural Center is in Kukirenge area. “Kukirenge ‘is a local cultural word for ‘foot’ and this was derived from the ancient myth that King Ruganzu II Ndoli stepped on a rock here and his footprint actually remained there. The historical rock on which he steppe which is currently being kept at the National Ethnographic Museum in Huye district will be returned to this center once construction is completed.
The Cultural Center plans to display the rich Rwandan heritage and native traditions including art & craft that will consequently contribute to diversification of Rwanda’s safari products as well as increase the overall input into the country’s development from the tourism sector
In the financial year 2014/2015 Rwanda realized a total of USD305 million from the tourism industry and plans to realize over $850 million by 2017 which calls for development of new and innovative tourist sites to obtain this kind of goal. As of today the tourism industry continues to be the number one foreign exchange earner of Rwanda with an annual 4% increase rate.
Speaking of the cultural tourism of the Cultural Center also marked the launch of the cultural tourism guide book – the Cultural Tourism of Rwanda which is a comprehensive 325 page book that showcases the unique cultural heritage of the destination Rwanda.
The Rulindo Cultural Center will charge Rwf500 for the local and the visitors from the region while for the international travelers on safaris in Rwanda will pay Rwf3,000.
