Editor, RE: “Step up your game, RDB urges business community” (The New Times, February 25). It is extremely gratifying to see how Government agencies are spearheading the process of sensitising the private sector to perform to perfection. The initiative of getting banks, hotels, transport companies, investors and policymakers all on a common platform for a breakfast meeting is really commendable. Partnerships and relationships will take Remarkable Rwanda to even greater heights and the paradigm shift towards prioritising the tourism sector will definitely pay rich dividends. As an individual who has worked for 33 long years with the travel, tourism and hospitality sector across many countries and continents, it is my firm belief that this strong focus on tourism will not only increase international visitor arrivals and foreign exchange earnings for the country, but it will simultaneously open up business opportunities for many more individuals of this great nation. Take for example, homestays. This should never be viewed as a threat to any hotelier. Rather it opens up the country to receive a much larger cross-section of visitors and travelers. This does not mean that there will be any “dilution” of Rwanda as an upmarket destination. Premium customers will continue to be offered premium products like the Kigali Marriott, Kigali Serena, Hôteldes Mille Collines by Kempinski,Radisson Blu, Lemigo, The Kigali Zinc, Grand Legacy and so many others, but the customer base will become much larger and more diverse. We would be very pleased, for example, to bring many student groups from India to explore the culture of Rwanda. Groups who will definitely not look at expensive hotels. What better way than with homestays? India, with a population of 1.2 billion and with as many as 20 million who traveled abroad in 2015, is one such target market. China is yet another sleeping giant. As the business community in Rwanda seriously plans to “step up (their) game”, there is no reason why many millions will not be smiling. Clarence Fernandes
