THE COUNTRY OF A THOUSAND HILLS: Rwanda and Virtuoso Partnership Marks New Age for Tourism Trade

This is an article by Trove Associate Jane-Noela Braimah.

Rwanda’s official tourism board, the Visit Rwanda, has recently gained admission to Virtuoso’s prestigious portfolio of luxury and experiential travel partners, with a network of over 2,000 partners in 100+ countries. 

Virtuoso is a top global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel. Virtuoso now offers Visit Rwanda direct relationships with the world’s leading leisure travel agencies all over the world. 

Rwanda is one of the most remarkable destinations in East Africa. It is the true definition of beauty and is rich in culture, wildlife, rolling hills, lakes, birds and rivers. The country is most famous for hosting treks with the mountain gorillas, an adventure in the Virunga Mountains of Northern Rwanda that was brought to the limelight by Dian Fossey, an American primatologist.

The country has also made great strides in technology. Rwanda planned to turn into a cashless society and has been successful in two areas - payment of services, banking and transport. 

With interoperability of banking services, ATM services have been connected to commercial banks making 72% of Rwandans able to access financial services. Rwanda has been awarded and recognized as one of the top 20 most clean, green and safe places in the world, according to the World Travel Guide.

This announcement by Virtuoso will open doors to new sales, growth and marketing opportunities to the network’s more than 20,000 luxury travel advisors. Their coveted clientele sell an average of (U.S.) $25–$30 billion a year.

“Now that we’re part of this renowned network, we look forward to offering Virtuoso advisors and their clients the special amenities, values and experiences that surpass their expectations,” said Mandi Stefanak, the North American representative of Visit Rwanda.

Some of Rwanda’s “once-in-a-lifetime troves” include a trek through Volcanoes National Park where visitors can interact with the rare mountain gorillas and Big Five animals on a safari in Akagera National Park. Recently, a luxury hot air balloon ride experience was launched, adding to the myriad of activities to choose from.

Our job at Trove Tourism Development Advisors is to work with destinations to uncover their troves. Learn more here about our branding strategy work to attract consumer visitation and trade investment.