Industry operators are excited as Rwanda will once again showcase its vast tourism potential when a week-long tourism fair Vakantiebeurs 2016 begins in Utrecht, the Netherlands on Tuesday.

The event, according to Robert Kayinamura, a senior official at the Rwandan embassy in The Hague, is not only the Netherlands' most important event of its kind, but also one of the larger specialized tourism fairs for consumers in Europe.

This year’s event will be a combined consumer and trade fair for tourism, organized by VNU Exhibitions Europe, a daughter company of the Dutch trade show organizer Jaarbeurs.

Listed co-exhibitors from Rwanda are tour operators and hotels including Amahoro Tours, Great Seasons Hotel, Mountain Gorilla Safaris, Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, and Wildlife Tours Rwanda.

Gregory Bakunzi, of the Musanze-based Amahoro Tours, said: "I will be there representing my company and the expectation is high, as we expect to get more people who will be visiting Rwanda.”

"The EAC visa has a lot of changes and now tourists can book to visit three countries on one visa. RDB is also going to present their new book, a Rwanda cultural guide book, which has more information about things tourist can visit while in Rwanda.”

The event will attract 125,000 visitors – consumers and travel trade – that include about 20,000 industry professionals and journalists from the Netherlands and surrounding countries.

Kayinamura said: "For many Dutch people, going on holiday is ‘a part of life’. They are a nation of inquisitive travelers, and on average spend a lot of time and money on holiday, recreation and relaxation. A visitor to the Vakantiebeurs should take advantage of this, as it offers an opportunity for Rwanda to inspire this audience with the remarkable Rwanda tourism products.”

"For the last seven years, the Embassy of Rwanda in the Netherlands, RDB and Rwandan tour operators attended and participated in this exhibition”.

The embassy plans to set up a Rwanda stand used by RDB and Rwandan tour operators to showcase tourism in Rwanda, Rwandan culture and dancers, in addition to promoting coffee and tea as well as tourism investment opportunities back home.

Kayinamura pointed out the exhibition presents a great opportunity to position Rwanda as a safe, clean, opportune, interesting and preferred tourist and investment destination.

"Rwanda will be showcased as a diverse destination for adventure, culture, unrivaled beauty and focus is the promotion of Akagera National Park and Nyungwe National Park as a destination,” he said.  

"The Canopy Walk in Nyungwe National Park and the Nyungwe Forest Eco-Lodge attract visitors to its luxurious location near the Gisakura tea estates. The Congo Nile Trail-hiking, biking, cycling and the caves are also experiences of interest to this particular market, as the Dutch are known for being active and adventurous travelers.”

According to Kayinamura, Rwanda will not only be showcased to all the visitors to this particular event, but also to the entire nation as interviews with journalists are scheduled and, "as we know from experience, the same week the tourism news of Rwanda will be published in daily newspapers and travel trade magazines.”

On day one, events will kick off with Trade Day which has reportedly developed into one of the most important network meetings in the Dutch tourism industry.

Trade Day is a platform by and for the travel industry – a place where everyone from the industry can meet up, network, talk about developments and learn more about the latest offers from colleagues and competitors.

Later in the afternoon, there will be a "Rwandaful Reception” at the Rwanda stand, an event which will be graced by Jean-Pierre Karabaranga, Rwanda’s envoy to the Netherlands.

Falling in love with Rwanda tourism

Evert Jakobs of Mountain Gorilla Safaris, a Dutchman who lives in The Netherlands but has been involved with Rwandan tourism for more than 12 years, acknowledges the transformation in the past decade.

His biggest gain or expectation from the Vakantiebeurs and all other fairs is that tourists get to see "what they miss when they do not stay longer in Rwanda. There is more than just the time to visit the gorillas.”

"I think I am an exception to the rest of the tour operators. I am preaching Rwanda and East Africa and when the flock is following my advice and travel via me, for me that is the cherry on the cake, but not my ultimate goal.”

Jakobs who initially started off in Kenya, selling golf holidays online, visited Rwanda in the past and "fell in love with the country and its people” and quit Kenya and the tourism business there.

When he came to Rwanda, he began with helping small local companies in Rwanda by giving them a website, "at no cost,” and helping the government with websites for the main attractions, also at no cost.

"At that time there was not much on the web to attract the attention of the tourists to visit Rwanda. At that time I was not involved in tourism, it was just a hobby to help the people, and Rwanda, to become known as a beautiful holiday destination and not only for the gorillas! Rwanda has so much more to offer.” 

editorial@newtimes.co.rw