More Rwandans are travelling within the country, but growing domestic tourism has yet to translate into mass participation, with travel still widely perceived as an expensive activity reserved for foreign or high-income visitors.

Figures from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) show that domestic visits to the country’s national parks increased by 8.1 per cent in 2025 to 59,270, up from more than 54,000 the previous year. Domestic tourism revenue also increased, although at a slower rate of 3.5 per cent to $821,093.

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The growth comes amid broader expansion in the tourism sector, which generated $685 million in revenue in 2025, a 6 per cent increase from 2024, according to RDB’s 2025 report. The country recorded 1.49 million visitor arrivals during the year, up 9 per cent.

While international tourism continues to account for much of the sector’s earnings, domestic travel is becoming increasingly important to the sustainability and resilience of the industry.

"Rwandan visits to national parks increased by 8.1 percent in 2025, from more than 54,000 in 2024 to over 59,000. However, participation remains limited relative to the population,” an RDB official said in responses to The New Times.

The official who preferred to remain anonymous because they are not the official spokesperson for the institution identified the perception that tourism is mainly for international or higher-income visitors, the overall cost of travel packages and competing household priorities among the biggest barriers to domestic tourism.

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But tourism professionals say affordability is only part of the challenge.

Cyprien Nshyimiyimana, a tour guide at Nyungwe National Park, said limited knowledge about tourism and nature also affects how Rwandans experience and value travel.

"The issue cannot be looked at from just one angle. There is the issue of financial means, which we all know about, but there is also a lack of knowledge and understanding about certain things,” he said.

Nshyimiyimana said many Rwandans visiting destinations such as Nyungwe tend to focus on recreational activities such as the canopy walk and zipline, without necessarily showing the same interest in understanding the environment around them.

"Rwandans, for the most part, tend to enjoy leisure—the enjoyment aspect of travelling. Not many people go into nature wanting to learn about plants or medicinal plants,” he said.

He believes tour operators have a role to play in changing that mindset by making educational and cultural experiences a bigger part of their itineraries.

"Tour operators have a lot of work to do. They really need to invest heavily in educating people because leisure is not the only reason for travelling,” Nshyimiyimana said.

"But culturally, Rwandans have not traditionally been very inclined towards that.”

He said the situation is gradually changing, particularly among younger people who are becoming more accustomed to travelling and introducing their families to the experience.

"Many destinations have already been visited by younger generations, although there is still a gap when it comes to older people,” he said.

"Older people are beginning to understand the value of travelling because they now travel with their families, and their children introduce them to travelling from a young age.”

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Akagera National Park accounted for the largest share of domestic park visitors in 2025, receiving 32,932 Rwandan visitors, or 55.6 per cent of all domestic park visits.

Nyungwe followed with 18,515 visitors, while Volcanoes National Park received 7,699.

The country’s four national parks collectively recorded 155,394 visits in 2025, an increase of 3.2 per cent, with domestic visitation growing strongly while international visits remained broadly stable.

Growth was not uniform across the parks, however, with Nyungwe recording a 22.8 per cent increase in visitation.

RDB believes part of the answer lies in making tourism feel less like a standalone luxury activity and more like something that can be incorporated into everyday life.

The agency has increasingly linked tourism promotion to activities that already attract Rwandans, including sports, wellness, holidays and community events.

One example is the Tembera u Rwanda initiative, which has been used alongside events such as the Kigali International Peace Marathon, Car Free Day, the Nyungwe Marathon and Umuganura to encourage residents to explore destinations around the country.

During the Kigali International Peace Marathon activities in June, for instance, influencers participating in the initiative shared experiences from Nyandungu Eco-Park and Fazenda Sengha.

Other activations have connected sports and wellness with visits to destinations such as Nyungwe, while an Umuganura-linked activation highlighted cultural heritage, nature and lakeside recreation at the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza, Nyungwe and Nkombo Beach.

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The significance of such initiatives, however, goes beyond promotion.

They point to a possible shift in how domestic tourism is marketed—from simply asking people to "go on holiday” to connecting travel with activities they already engage in, such as exercising, spending time with family, attending cultural events or taking weekend breaks.

RDB said the country also needs to broaden the domestic tourism offer beyond its best-known national parks.

Opportunities include urban and lakeside recreation, cultural and heritage tourism, hiking, cycling, camping, food and creative experiences, sports, events and wellness retreats.

That diversification is already visible in some of the new products coming onto the market.

Nyungwe National Park, for example, introduced a zipline and rope course in 2025. The two products attracted more than 6,000 visitors within six months of launch and helped drive a 22.8 per cent increase in visitation to the park.

Nshyimiyimana said tourism operators should respond to changing interests by developing itineraries that combine recreation with learning and exploration.

"Tour operators will need to prepare itineraries that include all these experiences,” he said.

RDB is also expanding the tourism portfolio through five new urban parks in Kigali, building on Nyandungu Eco-Park. A zipline and ropes course has also been introduced in Nyungwe, while an eco-park is planned for Musanze.

The agency is encouraging tour operators and hotels to respond to growing interest by developing competitive packages targeting families and corporate groups.

Is tourism affordable for the average Rwandan?

Cost remains one of the more difficult questions facing domestic tourism.

For example, the 2026 Akagera National Park tariff lists the entry fee for a Rwandan/EAC citizen at Rwf15,000 per person for one day. A family or group trip can quickly become more expensive once transport, food and activities are added. The park, however, offers a 20 per cent group discount for groups of more than 20 Rwandan nationals.

In Nyungwe, Rwandan/EAC citizens pay Rwf10,000 per person for a one-night park entry, while activities such as chimpanzee tracking cost Rwf25,000 per person. The park also offers annual passes, including a Rwandan/EAC family pass costing Rwf205,000.

Such costs do not necessarily mean tourism is inaccessible, but they illustrate why the price of a complete trip—not simply the entrance fee—can determine whether a family chooses to travel.

Nshyimiyimana, however, said Rwandans already benefit from preferential pricing at many destinations.

"When it comes to prices, there is fairness for Rwandans because they are given discounts wherever possible. Compared with what foreigners pay, you can see that there is a level of fairness in the pricing for Rwandans,” he said.

The bigger challenge, he argued, is ensuring people understand what they can gain from travelling beyond entertainment.