Scenery, safety propel tourism boom in Rwanda
A growing number of Chinese are exploring the African country’s culture, wildlife and scenery, Xu Lin reports.
Amountain gorilla beats its chest in the pounding rain. Another member of its troop sits silently in a bamboo thicket.
Li Qing is thrilled to closely observe over a dozen mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, one of the critically endangered primate’s few remaining habitats.
“It was amazing!” says the Beijing-based office worker, who visited the country for a week recently.
“It’s like King Kong but in real life. The leader is as large as three humans. I watched them with awe. I didn’t know what they’d do next.”
Tourists usually track the primates with local guides who understand the gorillas’ communications. Li believes she was lucky because the creatures stay stationary in rainy weather.
Rwanda is the epitome of Africa: It’s home to virgin forests, crater lakes, green mountains, wild animals and unique cultures.
The country is actively courting Chinese visitors.
Tourism is the country’s largest service export and is projected to continue growing at over 10 percent annually, according to the Rwandan embassy in Beijing.
It welcomed nearly 41,000 visitors from Asia in 2017, 5,833 of whom were Chinese.
China ranks second in visitor numbers from the Asia-Pacific region, after India.
The country started to offer visas on arrival for all foreign visitors from Jan 1, at a cost of $30.
“More travel agencies from Rwanda are joining promotional events in China in the past two years,” says Ge Yongchao, who customizes African itineraries for Beijing-based 6renyou.com, which specializes in bespoke tours.
“They’re optimistic about the Chinese market.”
She says African destinations popular among Chinese are South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Morocco. Most Chinese take group tours to these countries.
But few agencies offer group packages to Rwanda.
“Cost is the main reason,” she says.
“The $1,500 gorilla-tracking trek is too expensive for ordinary travelers. So, it’s better to book a customized trip or contact a local travel agency for itineraries in advance.”
She suggests visitors to Rwanda also visit neighboring countries, such as Kenya and Tanzania, to diversify their trips.
“Experienced outbound travelers, who’ve already visited Europe and the United States, are more likely to travel to Africa, which is farther away and more expensive. Many choose Africa as a destination for luxury travel.”
The destination appeals to everyone from young adults who enjoy adventure to elderly people who like photography, she says. However, it may not be ideal for kids, since it takes about four or five hours to drive between major destinations.
“The biggest advantage is that it’s very safe,” says Ye Xiaochen, an architect from a State-owned company in Beijing, who has worked in Rwanda for over half a decade.
“There are no wars or diseases like Ebola. Rwanda has very clean streets. The locals pay attention to hygiene and never litter. They’re friendly and hospitable with Chinese, and they like to greet strangers.”
She believes it’s a great destination for first-time visitors to Africa because of its beauty and culture, and proximity to countries that are popular destinations.
While many visit Rwanda to see the gorillas, Ye suggests also visiting tea plantations and cycling around Lake Kivu on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Li says it was “fantastic” to experience the culture.
“I was moved to tears when I saw young people enthusiastically perform ancient dances,” she recalls.
Also, the growing number of Chinese companies investing in Rwanda creates a huge demand for translators, including locals, many of whom are trained by the Confucius Institute and become proficient quickly.
Indeed, this is just another of many ways in which the country is becoming more interesting and accessible to Chinese travelers.