Editor,

RE: "So much to learn from the coastal towns of Kenya” (The New Times, May 15).

As a nation that has achieved a lot through the most difficult and complex of circumstances, from the corridors of power to the streets of downtown, this very hurdle will need the same approach. Kenya did this very well years ago and kept a steady pace; of churning out well trained workers. Their hospitality associations (KHA) spoke with one powerful voice that ensured workers’ rights and pay were equal to the work they put in. This is not the case in Rwanda yet.

We are at the cusp of crossing that line; from a so-so-nice and clean destination into a high-demand luxury destination. This is a very demanding and selective market—they expect nothing but the best of everything — especially service delivery.

We have got to raise the bar, first with investing in our human capacity and equipping our people with the right knowledge and skills in this field. Practical and relevant everyday skills that include language engineering, communication and interpersonal skills. There are no shortcuts. This investment will complement the beautiful buildings in town and the fabulous Kigali International Airport that just got a face-lift.

Rwanda doesn’t have to sell the same products as Kenya or Mauritius. What we need is to market a new "Remarkable Rwanda” package that one can only find here, that’s unique in the region. We could put more emphasis on wildlife conservation, eco-tourism and religious tourism such as Kibeho (of which we have a tremendous amount of resources to start with), and the complex history of Rwanda itself.  

Quite frankly, my humble but urgent thought is that we need a ministry for tourism that can house all the different stakeholders of tourism to avoid duplication and mixed messages.

So far, it’s a job well done but we cannot get complacent.

Nshuti

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Tourism falls under the docket of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, while the Rwanda Development Board is in charge of the day-to-day management of the sector).