Rwanda | Inspiring Stories of Travel, Culture, Adventure & Leisure
Enjoying a post-hike treat of sugar cane at Red Rocks Initiative for Sustainable Development to replenish the reserves with Florence, who was one of the first female guides in the country of Rwanda.
My recent whirlwind nature and community-based tourism exploration of Rwanda was motivated by a few different elements. When I visited Vietnam for a bike tour in 2019, I was wowed by the ways in which tourism was creating an amazing economic development and cross-cultural exchange opportunity within the country. And yet, as I visited some of the littered beaches, and observed who was running the tourism establishments, I wondered about the environmental impacts, and the distribution of the wealth that was created by this “boom.”
The opportunity for economic gain when a country focuses on tourism is undeniable. According to the World Tourism & Travel Council, prior to the pandemic, Travel & Tourism (including its direct, indirect, and induced impacts) accounted for 1 in 5 new jobs created across the world during 2014-2019, and 10.3% of all jobs (334 million) and 10.4% of global GDP (US$ 10 trillion) in 2019. Meanwhile, international visitor spending amounted to US$ 1.9 trillion in 2019.
Rwanda has capitalized on this opportunity, based upon its diverse landscapes, including Savannah lands filled with vibrant wildlife, dense jungle forests populated with mesmerizing mountain gorillas, and beautiful lake shores perfect for relaxation. During my work assignment there in 2021, I developed an appreciation for the ways in which Rwanda was also putting a strong emphasis on building their tourism sector in a way that preserved and honored its natural beauty, showing that prioritizing conservation and sustainability can have even greater economic benefits in the long run.
During that assignment, I also watched as their tourism industry felt significant impacts due to COVID restrictions, and understood the dangers of overreliance on this industry, from an economic standpoint. In good news, official data shows that Rwanda's tourism revenues increased to 445 million U.S. dollars in 2022, up 171.3 percent from the previous year.
So, I wanted to return to the country to get to know some of the projects and people that are leading the charge, modeling some of the broader trends we are seeing in the tourism industry in a post-pandemic era, which I am learning more about as I dig into my role as Partnership Engagement Manager at Postcard Travel Club, where we are seeking to tell the stories of leaders in the responsible tourism movement.
Lounging on this balcony space at Umva Muhazi, listening to the conversations of guests mingling across cultures was music to my soul.
Umva Muhazi - The Rise of Domestic Tourism: One of the benefits of COVID is that people started realizing that the beauty they had been traveling miles to see, might actually exist in their own backyard. With travel restrictions, financial concerns, and often more free time, domestic tourism had a “moment” and even post-pandemic, has continued to have “traction,” especially based on increasing concerns about the impacts on the environment related to long-haul travel. Enter Umva Muhazi, a project led by Nick Hu, a serial entrepreneur from the United States operating across East Africa.
He recognized the rise of leisure activities, such as tennis and golf, within Rwandan culture, as well as his own desire to facilitate creative collisions among Rwandans, local expats, and international visitors. While Dubai had become a popular destination for the rising middle and upper class Rwandans who were looking for a getaway, he recognized there was still plenty of room to complement the existing luxury tourism market in Rwanda with something that was more accessible, both in terms of price and location. Umva Muhazi is a very modern concept, with lodging that is inspired by Nick’s own travels to Norway, Costa Rica, & Japan.
Nick and the team are already gathering stories of collaborations that are resulting from guests mingling at UMVA. Future playdates among children, offers to invest in business ideas, and additional shared travel adventures are a few that are already becoming part of the lore. A key part of what is creating these opportunities is the community table concept that is core to the UMVA philosophy.
Nick shared that when he and his partner reflected on their own travel experiences, what had made them most memorable was not the accommodations, experiences, or the food, but actually the people they met. So with that in mind, they decided to host a Community Dinner every evening at 7:00 PM where they serve multiple courses of specially curated locally grown ingredients. I highly recommend a stop at Umva for leisure, connection, and amazing hospitality. Their next concept is in the works, with an emphasis on facilitating innovation at their lodges. If you are so inclined, this could be an amazing investment opportunity. Reach out to Nick at info@umvamuhazi.com if interested.
I recently heard that “awe” is often what people seek out when they travel, and certainly immersing yourself among the wildlife at safari parks, like Akagera Game Park fits the bill!
Africa Parks - Immersive Nature-Based Tourism: African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes on direct responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities. They currently operate 22 parks across Central Africa, and find value in funding their conservation activities through nature-based tourism activities within their parks.
One of their most successful efforts to deliver high-quality hospitality experiences for those looking for a safari experience is at Akagera Game Park, which is only a 2-hour drive from Kigali, Rwanda. Due to a concerted effort over a period of time, they have now restored a number of animal populations within the park, and the Big Five experience is available for anyone who visits.
During COVID, we saw a shift in travel patterns from “primary destinations” to “secondary destinations,” which also could be translated from “urban destinations” to “rural or nature-based destinations.” This, of course, was partially driven by concerns about avoiding crowds, and the safety nature provided for less transmission of the virus. But it seems that once people started focusing on the great outdoors for their travel, they started seeing that it might be the preference even post-pandemic. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council report on emerging trends in 2021, 52% of consumers are more likely to take an outdoor trip than before the pandemic and 47% of travelers want their next trip to be in nature.
As we are emerging in the post-COVID era, this craving for experiencing the healing power of nature seems to only be deepening. At Akagera Game Park, there has been an increased interest among visitors to have experiences beyond observing “the big five” from a safari car, so there is an effort to now look at more immersive nature-based tourism activities that they can offer to guests. They are already developing these types of opportunities at Nyungwe National Parks, where you can take a three-days walk through the forest with two fully catered nights in a-frame cabins. It is a great way to deepen your experience of this magical place, complete with amazing views, a plethora of waterfalls, paddling and total immersion in nature. An experience like this is in the works for Akagera Game Park, as well. While that comes together, I highly recommend a boat cruise at Akagera to capture views of hippos relaxing on the shorelines, elephants enjoying a vegetation snack while cooling their heels, and packs of water buffalo scattered along the waterfront.
The conversations I had with Julienne about her family history, her life path, and vision for Rutete Lodge warmed my heart. Hospitality concepts that lead with human connection are satisfying a craving we are still satisfying in a Post-COVID world.
Rutete Lodge - Finding “Home” while you Travel: Another travel trend that resulted from COVID with the rise of remote work, is efforts to more seamlessly combine business with leisure…some might call this “bleisure.” Synonymous with this was also a desire to stay longer in certain destinations, which was driven by a hunger for deeper experiences of a place, concerns about environmental impacts of travel, and a rejection of the “bucket list” approach to travel.
So if you are staying longer in a certain place, you actually might want to feel more “at home” in your lodging, and find more of a balance between your desires for comfort with your desires for adventure. My visit to Rutete Lodge was the place where my heart and spirit felt it could rest, while also sharing in an authentic experience of a place and a person. And it is no wonder, as the Lodge is actually the childhood home of the founder, Julienne Toch.
Julienne grew up in Rwinkwavu, Rwanda to a Belgian father who was the head of the mining operation in the area, and a Rwandan mother who birthed her three other siblings. Her teenage years took her to Belgium to pursue her studies, but she made an annual visit back to her family home in Rwanda, balancing her connection to both cultures. After quitting her job at the European Commission, she was in search of a passion project to pursue, and after a chocolate and beer shop concept fell through, she visited Rwanda and decided her next move was to refurbish her childhood home, and open it up for guests to share in her unique blend of Rwandan and Belgian influences.
She is committed to being a good stewards of the community where she is operating, hiring local talent, teaching permaculture practices, and creating a cafe space where locals and guests can mingle seamlessly. She blends modern and traditional elements in the design of the property, including traditional Rwandan dome-like home structures as well as a yoga pavilion. As this concept comes together, it is going to be one to watch, and if you have an interest in volunteering to offer support related to permaculture, hospitality, carpenting, construction, reach out to Julienne at tochjulienne709@gmail.com.
The welcome I received within the Red Rock’s community to join in sharing their culture and practices was so authentic and genuine. Rwanda’s spirit of hospitality is unmatched.
Red Rocks Initiative for Sustainable Development - Authentic Cultural Connections through Community-Based Tourism: As consumers become more conscious in their purchasing patterns around travel, they are starting to ask, what benefit are you creating for your local community through your business and operations? This is a key aspect of the responsible tourism movement, where there is an increased emphasis on ensuring that tourism activities do indeed contribute to local economic development and improves the quality of life of local communities.
Red Rocks Initiative for Sustainable Development is leading the charge in these efforts, in Rwanda and beyond. Greg Bukunzi is a native Rwandan, who is passionate about ensuring the tourism activities in the Volcano Region of Rwanda, where there is the greatest concentration of tourism in the country due to the attraction of the mountain gorillas, provide viable livelihoods for rural local communities and instill in them a sense of purpose and pride. He helped me understand through participation in the Annual Cultural Festival how there is an interwoven link between preservation of wildlife and of culture, and a beautiful celebration of both through art.
Throughout this week there were opportunities to dance and sing alongside women who lived in the local community; share stories across cultures around the fire in the evening hours; learn about local cooperative activities related to basket-weaving, pottery, and beer-making; and engage with youth who were being empowered with skills in art through Red Rock’s leadership. One of my challenges in traveling previously, when staying at Air B&Bs or Hotels, is that you often only engage with a very superficial experience of a culture, through heavily curated activities that feel artificially catered to tourists.
But through my visit to Red Rocks, I felt like I was much more hand-in-hand with the local community, sharing in their way of life and cultural practices. If you desire an authentic experience of a culture and a community, Red Rocks Initiative for Sustainable Development must be on your list, and keep an eye out for other community-based tourism initiatives as you travel. Red Rocks is currently looking for partnerships with U.S. Based Universities to facilitate experiential education opportunities for interns or collaborate on research related to community development, education, marketing & communications. Reach out to Greg at info@redrocksinitiative.org if you want to learn more.
This has been an interesting “test” in my writing endeavors, with a desire to serve as a brand advocate for innovative and authentic leaders who are paving the way forward for us to find our way into making travel a force for good. And as I launch my “Vision Activation Coaching Program,” a chance to showcase those who have taken practical steps to activate their own purpose-driven visions.
I am super grateful for all the work that the country of Rwanda is doing to serve as a role model for how a government can play an active and important role investing in ecotourism and conservation, driving economic development through tourism activities that creates distributed benefits for people and nature. Stay tuned for more highlights from the road, and feel free to share any feedback, or curiosities you might want me to satisfy in the future.
