In order to promote the achievement of the objectives of the community, the partner states must undertake to develop a collective and a coordinated approach to the promotion and marketing of quality tourism into and within the community. To this end, one single and common visa shall help to increasing the number of tourists in the whole community.
<doc5710|right>“Most of the tourists come in the country for business reasons. They want to see what might interest them and then decide what they should invest in. They try to discover the country. To this end, they use the single entry Visa. It cost 60 $USD. Moreover, one month is booked for them,” says Avry Mbonicuye, director of Intore Tours, a tourism agency.
In summer but also in April, he adds, there are a lot of demands from tourists who need guides. According to him, the majority of tourists come from Kenya, through the biggest airport in EAC partner states. “When our visitors reach there, the first thing they do, it is to visit Kenya’s country. After, they think about Burundi. To come in here, they must pay for a new visa entry. If they find it is very expensive, they go back home,” explains Mbonicuye.
In Avry Mbonicuye’s opinions, the EAC single visa could increase the number of tourists coming in the country. “Free movements will help tourists discover the whole region. They don’t need to buy a visa of such or such country they would like to visit,” suggests the director of the Intore tours.
To this end, he clarifies; the EAC single visa will help each country in EAC partner states to compete without any big challenge which could block the tourists.
Mbonicuye’s view is shared by Alexis Nyongera, coordinator of infrastructure Department in the Ministry in charge of EAC affairs.
“ To comply with the EAC objectives, developing policies and programs aimed at widening and deepening cooperation among the partner states in political, social, and cultural areas; research and technology; defense, security and legal and judiciary affairs, for their mutual benefit is very important as stipulated in the article 5 of the treaty,” says Alexis Nyongera.
<doc5712|left>“Burundi, unexplored places of interest”
According to Avry Mbonicuye, an adapted climate for human condition and different animals which live in the forests of Kibira, Ruvubu Park and Rusizi swamps attract more tourists.
“Most of the tourists like to discover our different touristic attractions because of endemic animals they find there. Not only, Burundians receive them with warmth and good smile, there are also our geographical mountains which show them a smart illustration of the country’s beauty,” says Mbonicuye.
With our places of interest, he adds, most of the tourists prefer to come back in our country with their friends.
Concerning progress made in the tourism sector, Mbonicuye is convinced that Burundi’s integration into the EAC could achieve the objectives of the community if Burundians combine their strengths.
“In their cultural habits, Burundians as EAC member states don’t like to discover their own places of interest,” regrets Mbonicuye.
“We are neither the first nor the last. Our touristic sector is virgin compared to other partner states of the Community,” adds Nyongera. “If you want to visit the Rwanda’s chimpanzees, every tourist must pay $ USD 700 and the hotel is booked one month before. Public and Private sector must consult each other. Hence, the country could get more currency, should tourists increase,” says Mbonicuye.
“To renovate the places of interest”
According to Avry Mbonicuye, Burundi is overcoming a long period of war, and step by step, the country could improve and reach other partner states.
“Before coming, the tourists consider many things. National security, the kinds of hotels and places of interest are the most considered. If these aren’t improved, we can’t achieve anything, and we will find us lagging behind others in the competition with other partner states,” regrets Mbonicuye.
| {Some of the famous Burundi tourist attractions :}
Karera falls / Lake Tanganyika / Rusizi National Park / Ruvubu Natural Reserve / Saga Beach / Rwihinda Lake Natural Reserve / Bururi hot springs |
According to him, Burundians must sell their country all over the world. “It is necessary to show the good figure, the beauty of the country, to make a good promotion of the country,” adds the director of Intore Tours.
Mbonicuye suggests renovating, all the touristic attractions that could bring many tourists in our country.
<doc5711|left>The same suggestion is made by Alexis Nyongera
“Waterfalls, natural reserves, hot springs, museums and zoos are the popular tourist attractions of Burundi. Most of them need to be modernized,” remarks Nyongera.
“Even if”, the coordinator of the infrastructure Department says, “the renovation of some tourist attractions will be done”, the EAC single visa shall be considered to increase the number of tourists.
“Our country is behind other partner states. At the entry of Burundi, there are formalities which every tourist must fill in. This is only done in our country. Furthermore, in other partner states’ formalities, are mentioned at the top, an EAC logo, but we still mention ‘Republic of Burundi’,” says Nyongera.
With the EAC single visa, tourists will not need to face these kinds of challenges. But, he wonders, with this, doubts persist on how Burundi as a landlocked country is going to benefit from the EAC single visa.
“Nairobi airport is the point of entry for most tourists, if we don’t treat this with full attention to details, Kenya is going to take all the currency. The first thing the tourists do, is to visit the country, and may be could think about other partner states. The single visa is in negotiation and the win-win system shall prevail/gain in the community,” he thinks.
According to him, public and private sectors must combine their strengths and work in consultation, in order to promote Burundian Tourism. “When there is a very big ceremony or conference, participants may even shelter in tents,” regrets Nyongera.
