Rwanda is ramping up its tourism expansion strategy by seeking experienced firms to promote its brand across key markets in the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. ALSO READ: Why Visit Rwanda is targeting the US sports market The Rwanda Development Board (RDB), in collaboration with Rwanda’s Embassy in the United States, has invited proposals from tourism representation firms interested in supporting Rwanda’s destination marketing activities in the four countries. Applications are due by June 22, 2026. ALSO READ: Visit Rwanda wins big as PSG, Arsenal meet in Champions League final The initiative comes amid growing international visibility for the Visit Rwanda brand, which has become one of the country’s flagship tools for promoting tourism, investment, and business opportunities on the global stage. The United States, in particular, has emerged as a key market in Rwanda's tourism strategy, prompting increased efforts to strengthen brand presence and engagement with travel trade partners, tour operators, media outlets and potential visitors. ALSO READ: Visit Rwanda: A truly trusted brand The latest call for tourism representation firms builds on a series of high-profile partnerships that have expanded Visit Rwanda's reach across major sports markets in North America and Europe. ALSO READ: Visit Rwanda signs new partnership agreements with NBA, NFL teams In September 2025, Visit Rwanda signed long-term sponsorship agreements with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL), becoming the first African tourism brand to sponsor teams in both leagues. The agreements expanded Rwanda's presence in the United States, one of the world's largest outbound travel markets. Through the partnerships, the Visit Rwanda brand gained visibility on Clippers jerseys, at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, and across SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, major entertainment venues that host millions of visitors annually. The partnerships also added to an international portfolio that includes Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Atlético de Madrid and Bayern Munich. Arsenal became Visit Rwanda's first football partner in 2018, while PSG joined the programme in 2019. Atlético de Madrid and Bayern Munich later joined Rwanda's growing network of international sports collaborations. The partnerships form part of Rwanda's broader strategy to leverage sport as a platform for destination marketing, investment promotion and talent development while reaching audiences beyond traditional tourism campaigns. The increased visibility has coincided with steady growth in Rwanda's tourism sector. Tourism revenues reached $647 million in 2024 and are projected to exceed $700 million in 2025, according to official figures. The sector remains one of Rwanda’s leading foreign exchange earners, supported by attractions ranging from mountain gorilla tourism and wildlife conservation to meetings, conferences, cultural experiences, and adventure travel.
