BUJUMBURA July 6th (ABP) – The Ministry of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism organized on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 in Bujumbura, a workshop with the objective of bringing together actors and stakeholders in the tourism sector, to propose and develop the brand image of Burundian tourism.
In his speech, the permanent secretary to the ministry responsible for tourism, Mrs. Faïda Catherine, indicated that the brand image of a country is mainly to create notoriety, recognition, trust and visibility.
Currently, she announced, the East African community is in the process of developing the distinctive tourism brand of the region, as a unique tourist destination and the partner countries have expressed themselves on the brand that would suit the community, Mrs. Faïda explained.
It is therefore up to each partner country to organize itself to set up or review its relevant brand image, according to its marketing strategy. For this, she pointed out, a country needs its own brand, which will be used for tourism purposes to attract the whole world.
In turn, the director general of tourism, Mr. Jacques Bigirimana, indicated that this discussion session made it possible to identify, among all that represents the beauty of the country, what can characterize Burundi. He, too, affirmed that throughout the world, each country has a brand image. So, it is necessary that Burundi seeks among its heritage, the object that can be brought to its tourist image.
During that workshop, two presentations were made to enlighten participants on what a brand image represents, its mission and its vision.
According to Me Fabrice Ntahuga, one of the presenters, the brand image of Burundi as a tourist destination represents the ability of this brand to motivate tourists to come to Burundi by inspiring trust, admiration and loyalty from its target market.
Me Ntahuga explained that the function that this image should perform is to present itself as a singular force of the tourist destination of Burundi, imprinting a real meaning, an identity and a goal of its own.
As for the tourism expert, Mr. Édouard Bagumako, the mission of the brand image is to promote a tourist destination rarely equaled, offering visitors exceptional and memorable experiences.
Its vision, he added, would be for a sustainable tourism industry that drives economic growth, protects the environment and culture, and also enriches the lives of local communities, and visitors alike.
Mr. Bagumako also pointed out that to develop this brand image, the main idea is to highlight the most important tourist sites such as national parks, panoramic views and a vibrant and dynamic community life.
Note that the validation of the brand image of Burundian tourism will take place soon.