Rwanda’s tourism revenue rose by 171%, from US$164 million in 2021 to US$445m recorded in 2022, according to the 2022 annual report by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

This growth represents an 89% recovery compared with the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period. The East African country’s tourism revenue amounted to US$498m in 2019, before COVID-19 hit in March 2020, but plunged to US$121m in 2020 as per RDB data.

"This substantial increase can be attributed to the global lifting of COVID-19-induced travel restrictions, and increased connectivity by RwandAir, as well as other airlines, specifically to and from Kigali International Airport," the report stated.

According to the report, in 2022, Rwanda welcomed more than 1.1 million international visitors. Of these, more than 60% came from African countries, highlighting the country's growing popularity as a destination within the continent.

Furthermore, 47.5% of the visitors came for business purposes, reflecting Rwanda's positioning as a hub for business activities, it added.

Rwanda’s national parks attracted 109 800 tourists, generating US$27m, an increase of 142% from 2021. Gorilla tourism, which drives high-end tourism in the country, generated revenues of US$113m, exceeding the performance in 2019 by 6%.

The report indicated that in 2022, great strides had been achieved in conservation, which include the operationalisation of the country's fourth national park –Gishwati-Mukura National Park – bringing on board the World Bank as a new partner for the Volcanoes National Park expansion project, and the inauguration of the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

In addition, RDB and Mandai Park Development, a private company in Singapore, signed a partnership agreement to establish the Nyungwe Experience at Mandai Park. This project will highlight Rwanda's eco-luxury tourism offerings and draw visitors from Singapore and around the globe to the country.