New direct airlift from London will be “game-changing” for Rwanda, the country’s tourism chief has told TTG@WTM.
RwandAir’s inaugural Heathrow flight touched down in London on Monday (7 November), the first day of WTM London.
The carrier will operate the route to and from Kigali four times a week, cutting out a stop in Brussels.
“Direct connectivity through London is really going to be a gamechanger for Rwanda,” said Michaelle Rugwizangoga, chief tourism officer at the Rwanda Development Board.
It is hoped the 8.5-hour flight will make the country more accessible to additional markets, with Rwanda keen to recover quickly from the pandemic.
Rwanda expects international visitation to fully recover to 1.2 million next year.
Encouragingly, while tourism numbers through September stood at 62% of pre-pandemic numbers, tourism revenue had rebounded to 86% of peak revenues in 2019 by the same stage.
New experiences include air balloon rides over Akagera national park, the first of its kind in the country, with Akagera home to the so-called “big five”.
Another focus for Rwanda will be sports tourism, with the country due to host the Basketball Africa League again next year, as well as the Ironman 70.3 triathlon.
Elsewhere, a new floating hotel on Lake Kivu, the Uburanga Queen boat, is due to be completed by the end of the year, while Kigali Golf Course has been upgraded.