As tourists everywhere begin to widen their horizons on a global scale, and 21st century travelers continue to aim for new destinations and uncharted territory, with eco-friendly values, some of the world’s least-known locations are becoming more and more popular. At the very heart of Africa, Rwanda is no exception. Over a decade after the brutal genocide of 1994, Rwanda is a nation on a mission, determined to eradicate painful memories of the past and build on a potentially vital inbound tourism market.
Indeed, Rwanda has plenty to be proud of and lots to offer potential tourists. The central African country is home to some of the world’s rarest species, including the almost extinct golden monkey. The government hopes to import 20 rhinoceros to the capital, Kigali, within the next 15 years, in order to attract more wildlife enthusiasts. Rwanda, before any importing of extra animals, has 25% of the world’s primate population anyway, and some of the oldest and most precious rainforests on the planet. It is said to be the ‘land of a thousand hills’, with a marvelous, unique, landscape.
On top of this, Rwanda boasts a sound road network, warm and hospitable people and a generally stable and booming economy. Rwanda’s people are trying to learn from the harsh lessons of the past. The government is similarly trying to solve a few existing problems. They are aiming to eradicate the begging culture, make corruption a taboo subject and limit the amount of litter on the streets. It also aims to promote the Rwandan singing and dancing culture. The country boasts some of Africa’s greatest folk songs which are, unfortunately, virtually unknown outside of Rwanda. This is a situation targeted for change as soon as possible. If all goes to plan then Rwanda should recover from the horrors of the past and start to thrive on the tourism industry. The tourism sector is currently the 3rd biggest source of income in Rwanda.