Golf as a sport is an important avenue for tourism as it deals with conservation of the environment, according to Nadia Keza, board member of Rwanda Chamber of Tourism. She therefore insists that golf has a place in the 2022 Rwanda Tourism Week celebrations, ‘because tourism and golf go hand in hand.’ “They move hand in hand as golf is played in a natural environment, and the conservation of the environment is a means of attracting tourists,” she said. Keza, who also doubles as Chairperson of Rwanda Tour and Travel Association, was speaking during the Golf for Conservation event held Sunday, November 27 at Kigali Golf Club and Villas. The event is part of the activities the Tourism Chamber lined up for the Rwanda Tourism Week celebrations, as an occasion to highlight the role of golf in the country’s tourism, conservation. The Rwanda Tourism Week was organised by Rwanda Chamber of Tourism with support from Rwanda Development Board, African Tourism Board, Rwanda Convention Bureau, East Africa Tourism Platform, Rwanda Eco Tourism and Adventure. Celebrated under the theme “Adapting Innovative Approaches to Boost Intra-Africa travel as a drive for Tourism Business Recovery,” the week attracts key players in the tourism and hospitality industry. For the first time, golf as a sport, featured in activities lined up to celebrate the Rwanda Tourism Week, something Elysee Confiance, the Tourism Chamber’s Digital Marketing Specialist, said is a good step in the right direction for tourism. “After the coronavirus pandemic, efforts are being made to revive the tourism industry. And golf, as a sport in Rwanda which attracts many foreign visitors, had to be added to the tourism week celebration because it is worth it,” he told The New Times in an interview. “This is very good for both the sports and tourism industry since golf is a game patronised by many expatriates. Golf is actually one of the many reasons people from other countries visit Rwanda,” he added. John Bosco Kiyitana, Vice Chairman of the Rwanda Safari Guard Association, mentioned that Golf thrives in an ecosystem environment, and that in the near future, the Akagera National Park could have a Golf Club which will further boost sports tourism. Yves Ngenzi, Head of Strategic Programs and Coordinator of the East Africa Tourism Platform, emphasised that tourism is an important avenue which is helping the growth of Rwanda as a country, noting that the sector contributes 10 per cent of the country’s GDP. “The importance of tourism to the growth of Rwanda’s economy cannot be emphasised. It is the leading foreign exchange earner for the country, and all of this shows why tourism is important in the country. In terms of job creation, tourism employs over 160,000 people in Rwanda,” Ngenzi added.
