As days go by, some African countries are discovering new ways to boost their national development through different sectors.
Since around 2018, many African countries, including Rwanda, have begun to view sports as a strong pillar of economic development. That’s when Rwanda started investing heavily in sports-related activities. These include partnerships with major international sports clubs (especially in football), building many sports facilities within the country, and promoting the talents of young Rwandans.
Rwanda also realized that sports could be used as a tool to promote the country’s tourism, attract foreign investment, and open up cross-border opportunities. This understanding led Rwanda to put strong efforts into the “Visit Rwanda” campaign, through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
To grow the Visit Rwanda campaign, Rwanda brought in experts in national economic planning to explore all possible ways to expand the project. After research and analysis, they concluded that the fastest way to grow Visit Rwanda was through sports.
Rwanda then began seeking partnerships that connected sports and tourism, starting with European clubs. The first deal was signed with Arsenal FC, a top-tier football club in England. Soon after, Rwanda also partnered with PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) in France.
Under these deals, the clubs agreed to promote “Visit Rwanda” on their jerseys during both matches and training sessions. They also displayed the slogan on stadium banners during home games.
These contracts included other terms too. For example, Rwandan coffee would be sold at the stadiums of these clubs. The clubs also agreed to help develop young football talent in Rwanda. Today, all these teams have football academies in Rwanda, where they train local children in football.
Once Rwanda realized how much income could be earned from sports advertising, it expanded its partnerships further. The country later reached agreements with Bayern Munich in Germany and Atletico Madrid in Spain. All of this was aimed at introducing Rwanda to people across the world and encouraging them to visit the country.
When you look at the amount of money Rwanda invested in these deals, it is relatively small compared to what the country has earned from the Visit Rwanda campaign. According to RDB reports, Rwanda pays Arsenal a little over $13 million, PSG between $8 and $10 million, Bayern Munich between $5 and $8 million, and Atletico Madrid around $10 million. Yet, reports show that Rwanda earns over $600 million from tourism alone—not counting the value of sports academies and infrastructure built by these clubs. This means the clubs alone have helped Rwanda earn at least $200 million in return.
Rwanda didn’t stop there. It also expanded the Visit Rwanda campaign into basketball, by investing in the American NBA and the African basketball league known as BAL (Basketball Africa League). Today, Visit Rwanda is one of BAL’s main sponsors, and Rwanda regularly hosts some of the league’s games. All of these efforts have continued to bring tourism revenue to the country.
What has also helped Rwanda attract tourists is not just advertising. The country is known for being safe, clean, and having rich cultural and historical heritage. These qualities make it a special place that surprises many international visitors.
Today, Rwanda is becoming one of the top tourism earners in Africa. The government has now set a target to earn over $700 million from tourism this year alone.
Did Rwanda’s strategy inspire other countries?
Absolutely. Other countries have started to follow Rwanda’s example by investing in sports partnerships to promote their nations. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for instance, has also signed deals with top European clubs like FC Barcelona, AC Milan, and AS Monaco.
The goal of these deals is to help develop sports in Congo, especially football and other disciplines, while also boosting tourism. These clubs will support youth training programs and promote tourism destinations in the DRC.
When it comes to gorilla tourism, Rwanda and DRC are among the few countries in the world that still have mountain gorillas. In fact, only 10 countries globally still have gorillas. These include Rwanda, Uganda, DRC, Nigeria, Angola, the Central African Republic (CAR), Equatorial Guinea, Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Gabon, and Cameroon.
However, only Rwanda, DRC, and Uganda allow tourists to visit gorillas. These three countries also share the famous Virunga Mountains National Park, home to mountain gorillas.
Among these, Rwanda earns the most revenue from gorilla tourism, followed by Uganda and then DRC. Rwanda’s higher income is largely due to its efforts in promoting tourism through campaigns like Visit Rwanda, and events such as the annual baby gorilla naming ceremony.
In conclusion, Rwanda has not lost anything by investing heavily in the Visit Rwanda campaign. On the contrary, the millions it spent were recovered—and more. The country has also gained many long-term benefits.
Has the Visit Rwanda campaign helped everyday citizens?
Yes, absolutely—and in big ways. First, the money earned from tourism is used to build infrastructure like hospitals, schools, water systems, electricity, and more.
Second, the increase in tourists has led to more job opportunities in the tourism sector. Many people now work as tour guides and hospitality staff for visitors coming to Rwanda.
Third, when these tourists come to the country, they spend money on food, clothing, medicine, and other local products. This supports many Rwandan entrepreneurs and boosts small businesses.
Lastly, as more foreigners visit the country, Rwanda becomes known as a great place to do business. This attracts international investors who not only create more jobs but also introduce new products into the Rwandan market.
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