BUJUMBURA March 2nd (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, opened on Tuesday February 26 the two-day session of the General States of Tourism, organized by the Ministry of Commerce, Transport, Industry and Tourism under the theme: “tourism, a lever of economic growth serving an emerging Burundi”.
In his speech, the Head of State made it known that tourism is the lever of economic growth. He clarified that before doing tourism, you must first love the country and then attract others, especially foreigners, to love it.
The President of the Republic also recalled that cleanliness is one of the general conditions of tourism because if the country is clean, tourists come and love our country. He called on all Burundians to renew the strategy of replanting flowers around their homes, on the side of the road and in front of offices, which will attract tourists to love the country.
On that occasion, he called on Burundian investors to come together to build tourist infrastructure, a five-star international conference room or large hotels to attract tourists and give the country a good image. He also recommended stakeholders in that sector to identify tourist places in the country and develop recognized places.
Burundi has good food with drinking water, he stressed, specifying that the latter also attracts tourists.
For her part, the Minister of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism, Mrs. Marie Chantal Nijimbere, indicated that tourism being one of the dynamic sectors of activity and an actor of economic growth through the job creation, promotion of local products and promotion of the country’s current heritage. It is obvious that tourism contributes, directly or indirectly, to the socio-economic development of the country. Minister Nijimbere, to that end, recalled that Burundi is full of tourist potential ranging from wild, abundant and diversified species, unprecedented natural environments, characterized by cross-border ecosystems, bodies of drinking water, beautiful landscapes and pristine beaches and rich in cultural heritage.
The Minister in charge of Tourism invited stakeholders in that area to exploit its potential while respecting standards in order to preserve tourism as a creator of jobs, a source of income and a preserver of natural resources.
For his part, the president of the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burundi (CFCIB), Mr. Olivier Suguru, noted that Lake Tanganyika and the sound of waves are there to dissect together the numerous opportunities of Burundian tourism and the many challenges that mark our march towards vision 2040 Burundi emerges and developed in 2060.
Regarding opportunities in the tourism sector, he specified that Burundi currently has 249 tourist sites identified, including 123 already recognized as such. He highlighted some tourist landscapes of Burundi, notably Lake Tanganyika, the sacred drums of Gishora, the Kiriba, Vyanda and Kigwena forests, the Ruvubu and Rusizi parks, the Karera falls.
He did not fail to cite the challenges facing the tourism sector. He has mentioned the absence of hotel and tourism schools, the lack of a clear tourism marketing policy for Burundi and very underdeveloped domestic tourism. The still insufficient opening of the country, very underdeveloped gastronomic tourism as well as the legal and regulatory environment are also other challenges which handicap the tourism sector in Burundi.
It should be remembered that in that session, participants discuss around panels on key reforms for the development of tourism in Burundi, the development of the tourism product and the stimulation of demand and art: catalyst for the development of tourism in Burundi.