BUJUMBURA September 27th (ABP) – The Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Prosper Bazombanza enhanced with his presence on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at the Bujumbura horse club, the opening ceremonies of the second edition of the East African Community (EAC) regional tourism exhibition organized under the theme “Rethinking tourism for socio-economic development in the EAC”.
The Vice-President of the Republic, on behalf of the Head of State, warmly thanked all the participants for having responded positively to the appeal of the Government of the Republic of Burundi, through the Ministry of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism in favor of this very important tourist event of the EAC.
He expressed his thanks to the EAC Sector Council in charge of Tourism, Wildlife Management, for the decision taken last year that the regional tourism expo conference be organized in a rotary press by EAC member states.
“We have a strong belief that the expo will go a long way in promoting many tourist attractions in both regional and international markets,” Mr. Bazombanza pointed out, adding that the EAC is blessed with a host of tourist attractions including the virgin beaches full of sand, the good landscapes, the rich cultural heritage and the incomparable diversity of fauna and flora.
EAC Member States benefit significantly from the benefits of tourism through its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), foreign exchange earnings and job creation, he noted while emphasizing that it is clear that the tourism potential of all Member States remains largely untapped.
He did not forget to speak briefly about tourism in Burundi where he informed the participants that Burundi has everything it needs for the growth of the tourism sector. To this end, he recalled that Burundi is known as the heart of Africa, the country of the beating drum, the country of milk and honey, the country of a thousand and one hills, the country of eternal spring.
The Vice-President of the Republic took this opportunity to encourage participants to taste the tourist offers of Burundi in the city of Bujumbura, and even to visit other corners of the country and tourist places such as the source of the Nile, Gasumo ka Mwaro, as well as other tourist sites based in Rutana and elsewhere.
For his part, the Minister in charge of Tourism, Mrs. Marie Chantal Nijimbere, pointed out that this year’s theme was chosen to launch a vibrant call for a dynamic reconstruction of the tourism sector to mitigate the consequences linked to the crisis of Covid-19 and build resilience to climate change and possible crises that may affect this sector. She thanked the EAC General Secretariat, which contributed technically and financially to the success of this event, as well as the development partners, including GIZ.
Note that this event was organized in Burundi through the Ministry in charge of Tourism in collaboration with the Ministry having EAC Affairs in its attributions. Abp/ Denis