Geography and Environment

Introduction

Tourism is one of the many economic activities carried out in Rwanda. It involves people travelling within a country or visiting other countries for relaxation or adventure.

Tourism is an important economic activity because tourist from other countries are a source of foreign exchange. Tourists come with money to buy goods and pay for services. Without foreign exchange, a country would not be able to buy imports since they are not paid for using local currency.

Local tourists on the other hand are charged fees as they visit tourist sites. The government gets part of the money through taxes.

To understand more about tourism, this unit covers the following sections:

        (i)  Definition of tourism

        (ii)  Tourist sites in Rwanda (historical and natural sites)

       (iii)  Factors for tourism development in Rwanda

        (iv)  Importance of tourism industry to the economy of Rwanda

       (v) Problems affecting tourism and possible solutions in Rwanda

       (vi)  Relationship between tourism in Rwanda and regional countries: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania

22.1 Definition of tourism

Tourism is travelling to visit a place for relaxation, recreation and leisure, usually for a short period of time. When people travel as tourists within their own country, this is referred to as domestic tourism. When people travel to another country as tourists, is referred to as international tourism. Rwanda’s tourist sites are visited by both domestic and international tourists.

Activity 22.1

Study the photograph below and answer the questions that follow.

1.Describe what is happening in the photograph.

2.Where in Rwanda is this photograph likely to have been taken?

3.Which other areas in Rwanda have similar tourist attractions?

4.What type of tourism would you classify this to be and why?

5.Describe the tourist attractions shown in the photograph and state why these attractions are so special in Rwanda.

22.2 Tourist sites in Rwanda (Historical and natural sites)

The following map shows the various tourist attraction sites in Rwanda.

Activity 22.2

Using atlases and geographical sources, make a list of things that attract tourists to Rwanda.

Rwanda has different types of tourist attractions which attract both local and foreign tourists. Some of the sites are historical in that they were developed way in the past and have been in existence for many years. Others are natural features which include landforms and wildlife.

Historical attractions

Most of the historical tourist attractions are preserved in museums where they are protected to avoid destruction. Some of the museums are:

1. The National Museum

The museum has information that traces back to pre-colonial history to the modern day Rwanda. It is located in Huye. The museum has a wide collection of information about Rwanda’s culture and history. It also has information of the culture of many other communities in East Africa.

2.Kabgayi Church Museum

This is a huge cathedral near Muhanga. It was built around 1925 by Catholic missionaries. There are other buildings of colonial days in the town.

3.Nyanza Royal Palace

This museum is built using traditional materials. It was the royal place for King Mutara III and his wife Queen Rosalie Gicanda. It is located in Nyanza, about 88 kilometres from Kigali. Within the palace compound, the long horned Inyambo cattle are reared to represent part of the culture of the Rwanda people.

Remember!

When you visit a place you have never been to, you are a tourist whether you are paying or not. There is always something new to learn. Thus you widen your knowledge.

4.The Musanze cave

The cave is located two kilometres from Rubavu road. Local people believe it was built by a local king. However it has a lot of volcanic debris and a volcanic lava bridge indicating that there was massive lave flow from one of the Birunga Mountains. The cave has human remains as a result of the killings that happened there during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

5.Kibeho religious holy place in Nyaruguru district

Kibeho Shrine is a holy place whose history began sometime in 1981 when teenagers reported seeing the image of Mary, mother of Jesus. In spite of the recognition, few outside Rwanda knew of these events. However, word began to spread and followers of Virgin Mary, from near and far, began visiting Kibeho.

Many Christians visit the shrine as pilgrims. Pilgrimage is one of the oldest forms of tourism. It is a journey made by a pilgrim, who travels from place to place, usually journeying a long distance and to a sacred place as an act of devotion. Religious tourism where thousands of people visit holy sites for spiritual fulfillment is rapidly picking up in Rwanda. The ‘land of a thousand hills’ seeks to expand its tourism sector by promoting both local and international pilgrimage in the Kibeho area of southern Rwanda.

Currently, the number of Pilgrims ranges from 25,000-30,000. The Shrine is visited three times in a year.

By formally recognising the area as a religious tourism destination, the country’s tourism industry will now allow tour guides and local safari operators to include Kibeho in their list of places to visit when taking tourists to see the ‘land of a thousand hills’. This is a form of generating income for the people of Nyaruguru District as Pilgrims flock to the Shrine for Ascension Day celebrations.

Activity 22.3

In groups, use geographical documents, maps, photographs and Internet to carry out a research on :

1.The location of the major tourist sites in Rwanda.

2.Classify the sites into historical, natural and others.

3.Establish the estimated number of visitors at each site per year.

4.How do the local communities benefit from the sites?

Natural tourist sites

Natural tourist sites include wildlife conservation sites that have been established as national parks and natural features such as landforms and lakes. Some of these attractions are described below.

(a)  Nyungwe Forest National park

The forest is found to south western part of Rwanda and covers over 1000 square kilometres in area. Other than the wide range of plant life, the main tourist attraction in this forest is the wide range of monkey species. They include the chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, owl-faced monkeys, silver monkey and the red-tailed monkey. In addition, the forest has a wide range of birds which attract tourists who love bird watching, the foot bridge and Isumo Falls.

Another attraction in Nyungwe is the extensive Kamiranzovu Marsh.

(b)The Volcanoes National park

The park is located to the north-western part of the country. The Birunga volcanic mountains include the Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo. Tourist attractions include the mountains themselves and the rare mountain gorilla. Mount Bisoke which is 3711 metres above sea level attracts tourist because it has a beautiful crater lake at the top.

(c)  Akagera National Park

The park is found on the eastern part of the country. It has a variety of wild animals including crocodiles and hippos which live in the many lakes. It also has a range of grazing and carnivorous animals that inhabit the savanna grassland areas. Giraffes, elephants, zebras, lions and leopards are some of the tourist attractions in the park.

(d) The hilly landscape

Rwanda is described as the “land of a thousand hills.” The landscape has numerous hills forming a scenery which is beautiful to look at.

(e)  Lakes

Rwanda has more than twenty lakes, the largest of which is Lake Kivu. It is found along Rwanda’s western border. The lake has some beaches from where tourists have a beautiful view of the Birunga mountains. Tourists are also attracted by water sports such as boating, surfing and swimming on the lake. Other lakes especially those to the eastern part of the country have not only a large population of hippos but also different species of birds.

(f)  Rivers and waterfalls

River Rukarara is a tributary of River Nyabarongo. The river starts from Nyungwe forest and flows to join the Akagera which then flows into Lake Victoria from where the Nile flows out. Many tourists are therefore attracted to the River Rukarara since it is considered to be the source of River Nile. The Akagera has the spectacular Rusumo Waterfalls which is visited by many tourists.

22.3 Factors for tourism development in Rwanda

Every year, Rwanda receives many foreign tourists into the country and there are also local tourists visiting different parts of the country.

Activity 22.4

1.In groups, use geographical documents and publications on tourism to research on the factors that influence development of tourism in the following areas:

      •  Lake Kivu area

      •  Eastern Rwanda

      •  Kigali

      •  Northern Rwanda

Present your findings for class discussion.

2.Explain how the following factors have led to the development of the tourism industry in Rwanda.

        • Political stability

       • Existence of varied tourist attractions

       • Gorilla naming ceremony

       • Advertisement, both local and abroad

       • Hotels

       • Friendly people

The following are some of the factors that promote the development of tourism in Rwanda:

(a)  Political stability

Rwanda has experienced long peaceful period since the wars in 1990. This has enabled foreign tourists to travel to the country without fear of insecurity.

(b)  Existence of varied tourist attractions

Rwanda has a variety of tourist attractions. The many museums with unique information and the beautiful countryside are some of the attractions. Another example is the mountain gorilla which is rare elsewhere.

(c)  Gorilla naming ceremony

This ceremony is a special tourist attraction. Every year, Rwanda holds a gorilla naming ceremony which attracts many local and foreign tourists.(d)Pub licity and advertisement locally and abroad The government carries out campaigns both locally and abroad creating awareness on the tourist attractions in the country.

(e)  Development of tourist hotels

The government and private organisations have constructed high class hotels and lodges in different parts of the country near tourist attractions.

(f) Friendly people

The people of Rwanda are friendly. The hospitality of Rwanda people encourages more people to visit the country.

22.4 Importance of tourism industry to the economy of Rwanda

Tourism is one of the sectors that contributes significantly to the economy in Rwanda. There are many reasons why the governments continues to encourage development of tourism.

Activity 22.5

With the assistance of your teacher, organise a field trip to the nearest museum to study the role of of tourism in the economy of Rwanda. Your report on the field trip should include the following:

    1.  Name the location of the museum and the year it was established.

     2.  Items preserved in the museum.

     3.  Number of employees and their specific roles.

      4.  Average number of local and foreign tourists vising the museum per year.

      5.  Charges levied to visitors and average collection per year.

      6. The infrastructure development in the area.

Your conclusion should include (i) how the museum benefits the local community and (ii) how it benefits the government.

Present your report to class for discussion.

The tourism industry is important to the economy of Rwanda in the following ways:

(i)  Foreign exchange earnings

Tourism is the leading source of foreign exchange in the country. Rwanda needs foreign exchange to be able to pay for imported commodities such as medical equipment, machinery and petroleum.

(ii)  Provision of employment opportunities

Through tourism, different types of job opportunities are created. For instance, there are tour companies that employ office workers, drivers and tour guides. Tourist hotels employ many workers while other people who sell local crafts to tourists are self-employed.

(iii) Promotion of local craft industry

Tourists buy different crafts that are made by locals. This improves their livelihoods.

(iv) Improvement of infrastructure

Development of infrastructure, including roads, electricity and provision of clean water to the areas which are visited by tourists promotes development in these areas.

(v)  Conservation of wildlife and natural heritage

In order to attract tourists in the country, Rwanda has set aside areas where wildlife is conserved and protected against poachers.

(vi)  Preservation of important artefacts

Important artefacts including items that were used in the past are preserved in museums. This is not only for tourists to learn about the history of the people of Rwanda but also for children and future generations to learn the history of their past generations.

(vii)  Promotion of development in agriculture

Tourist hotels rely on local farmers to supply foodstuff such as fruits and vegetables. This encourages the farmers to grow the crops to meet the demand.

(viii)  Promotion of friendly international relations

Rwanda keeps good relations with other nations. This encourages tourists to feel at ease to visit the country. Good relations also promote trade and cultural exchange.

22.5 Problems affecting tourism and possible solutions in Rwanda

Rwanda has a high potential in tourism which means that the future for this sector is bright. However, development in the sector is slow because there are many challenges that have to be addressed.

Activity 22.6

Below is a list of problems facing the tourism industry in Rwanda. For each problem, suggest the possible solution.

Problems affecting tourism

•  Shortage of capital that could be used to expand developments such as roads and accommodation facilities necessary to promote tourism.

•  Political conflicts in the neighbouring countries discourage visitors to come to Rwanda for fear that bad people from those countries could escape to Rwanda and cause insecurity in the country.•Increased cases of terrorist attacks internationally has made many people to avoid travelling to other countries simply for leisure. This has affected tourism in many countries including Rwanda.

•  Poaching and destruction of environment which has affected some tourist attractions. Some animals migrate further into the forests for safety.

•  Poor and underdeveloped infrastructure such as roads. Some areas are too steep for roads to be constructed. This makes some of the tourist sites inaccessible.

•  Rugged terrain such as steep slopes in places like Volcanoes National Park. Tourist have to walk long steep distances to be able to reach the sites.

22.6 Relationship between tourism in Rwanda and regional countries: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania

Rwanda is a member of the East African Community. Other members are Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.

Activity 22.7

1. Using an atlas, draw a map showing the East African Community member countries.

2. Identify and indicate the major national parks in the region.

3. Research and name the types of wildlife in the national parks.

4. Research on the tourists arrivals in each of the countries and discuss how other countries differ with Rwanda.in these arrivals.

Citizens of these countries can acquire the East African passport which gives them free entry into any of the countries. Tourists without passports are also free to use their national identity cards to enter any of the countries. This is a boost to tourism within the region involving citizens of the East African countries. For Rwanda therefore, it will make it possible for the citizens of the other member countries to travel to Rwanda as tourists without paying for visas.

Foreigners wishing to visit any of the East African Community member countries will only require a visa for one country to visit any of the other countries. This will increase the number of foreign tourists into the region. This will be an advantage for Rwanda.

END OF UNIT REVISION EXERCISE

1.Identify the different tourist attractions in Rwanda.

2.Give four reasons why tourism is an important economic sector in Rwanda.

3.Explain the problems that affect tourism in Rwanda and suggest how each can be solved.

4.How does Rwanda relate with the other East African Community member countries in the area of tourism?