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USAID’s Nyungwe Nziza Project in Rwanda launches professional guide certification program in Nyungwe National Park

East Africa, Tourism Education No Responses »

Feb 142013

USAID’s Nyungwe Nziza Project in Rwanda launches professional guide certification program in Nyungwe National Park

Kigali, February 14^th – Through the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Nyungwe Nziza Project in collaboration with the Rwanda Development Board, Nyungwe National Park (NNP) has just become the first park in Africa to train all guides as Certified Interpretive Guides through the National Association for Interpretation (NAI). NAI, a US-based international NGO, has over 5,370 members in 30 nations and has trained and certified more than 20,000 professionals in more than 40 nations over the past decade. NAI guide training is considered the premier training in the world for guides at parks, zoos, museums, nature centers and UNESCO world heritage sites.

Twenty-seven guides took the five-day intensive workshop at the Kitabi College of Conservation and Environmental Management (KCCEM). All twenty-seven guides successfully completed the course, passed the required elements, and demonstrated their abilities in a practical exam which included successful demonstration of their understanding of workshop material to their peers and trainers in a 10-minute thematic trail hike.

The NAI certified trainers remarked that all the guides were quite good and several demonstrated exceptional proficiency. Great guiding helps tourists make both intellectual and emotional connections with the unique stories and sense of place at NNP which creates lasting memories for the guests and encourages return visits, longer visits, donations and increased word of mouth advertising for the park. It helps the public understand the important conservation role of all staff and visitors and encourages conservation behaviors such as not littering, not feeding wildlife and compliance with park rules and policies.

A two-day Certified Interpretive Host workshop was also conducted by the trainers for 18 NNP personnel and partners who meet the public but do not lead guided activities. Six individuals from Nyungwe Forest Lodge, and several representatives of the Kitabi, Banda and Cyamudongo cultural communities and KCCEM took part in the training along with the Chief Park and Tourism Wardens. The host training course focuses on how each member of the NNP team and partners can cross-market each program and help turn every conversation with a tourist into a lasting relationship for NNP and Rwanda.

For further information contact: Boaz Tumwesigye, Boaz_Tumwesigye@dai.com, +250-788309833

Cleaning DC’s Waterways

Environmental protection No Responses »

Dec 102012

From an interesting editorial in the Washington Post on Sunday December 8th, 2012:

“ONE OF THE District’s largest environmental projects planned for coming decades is a system to prevent a noxious mixture of urban runoff and raw sewage from flowing into Rock Creek and the Anacostia and Potomac rivers every time there is a big storm. As The Post’s Darryl Fears reported last week, a legally binding agreement requires the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority to construct, at a cost of $2.6 billion, three huge tunnels into which this filthy water could be stored until treatment. But everyone in government seems to agree the city might be better served by a different approach: investing in “green infrastructure” that absorbs rainwater — things such as retention pools and grass rooftops. These have the potential not only to project local rivers but also to improve the city’s air quality and provide buildings with added insulation.”

For the full opinion piece, click here.

Rwanda Tour Operators push to diversify with Nyungwe Park

East Africa, Sustainable Tourism Awards, Tourism Product Development, Tourism Strategy, World Travel Market No Responses »

Dec 062012

In an interview published today on Travel Daily News International’s website, SW Associates President Scott Wayne talks with Manzi Kayihura, President of the Rwanda Tour and Travel Association and Managing Director of Thousand Hills Expeditions in Rwanda about Nyungwe National Park and its recent recognition by the British Guild of Travel Writers. The USAID-sponsored Nyungwe Nziza Project, which is working with the Rwanda Development Board, was awarded the Best Overseas Tourism Project and Best Global Tourism Project by the Guild at their annual awards gala just before the World Travel Market in London on November 4th. Click here to access the interview on the Travel Daily News website.

World Travel Market Interview with Manzi Kayihura, President of Rwanda Tour and Travel Association

USAID Nyungwe Nziza Project in Rwanda named winner of Best Overseas and Best Global Project Awards by British Guild of Travel Writers

East Africa, Sustainable Tourism Resources, World Travel Market No Responses »

Nov 062012

London, November 6^th – USAID’s Nyungwe Nziza (“Beautiful Nyungwe”) project was named winner of the British Guild of Travel Writers’ (BGTW) Best Overseas and Best Global Project Awards. At the Guild’s prestigious annual awards dinner in the London’s Savoy Hotel Sunday night, Guild Chair Roger Bray said: “Nyungwe Nziza is a model tourism project for developing countries.” USAID’s involvement in Nyungwe dates back over 20 years, and since the forest’s designation as a national park in 2007 USAID has had active projects in conservation and ecotourism, engaging collaboratively with the Government of Rwanda to support their efforts to independently and responsibly manage the park and its resources.

At the BGTW awards ceremony, the Nyungwe Nziza project was recognized for its contributions to ecotourism, biodiversity and local communities. Former BGTW Chair Melissa Shale said that “Guild members selected the Nyungwe Nziza Project after considering many projects from around the world. We voted for the Nyungwe Nziza Project because it is really the sort of project that should be replicated around the world.”

USAID’s Nyungwe Nziza project is working with the Rwanda Development Board to transform Nyungwe National Park into a viable ecotourism destination. The ultimate goal is a thriving economy in and around the park with engaged communities and a private sector with a business model based on protecting and leveraging the unique environment in which they live and work. Currently, the project’s market-driven product development and marketing strategies are working to:

Diversify the local economy, create jobs, and increase family income, resulting in reduced poverty and reduced threats;
Forge scalable and creative public-private partnerships to increase investment in and around the park, resulting in a sustainable, market-driven ecotourism business plan for the park;
Improve the ecotourism enabling environment, resulting in sustainable ecotourism development at Nyungwe and beyond; and
Better integrate local communities into existing and new ecotourism value chains.

As stated by Peter Malnak, Mission Director of USAID/Rwanda, “Nyungwe National Park is one of the most spectacular natural landscapes in the world. USAID is proud to have been working alongside our Rwandan partners in this montane rainforest since the 1980s. Nyungwe is now transforming into an ecotourism destination that attracts visitors from all around the world. Most importantly, the Rwandan government, the private sector, and local communities understand the value in Nyungwe, and are working together to protect the forest not only for its remarkable beauty, but also for the economic benefits and ecological services it provides.”

Nyungwe Nziza is a U.S. Agency for International Development project. It is implemented by Development Alternatives, Inc., in collaboration with SW Associates, a Washington, DC-based international consulting firm, and the U.S. National Park Service.

KPMG Financing Study cautiously optimistic on future of tourism in the Caribbean

Caribbean, Sustainable Tourism Resources, Tourism Investment No Responses »

Oct 172012

For the last several months, I have been helping to research and analyze tourism trends, especially investment, in the Caribbean for the International Finance Corproation. As many of you are no doubt aware, much of the Caribbean has been hit hard by the economic downturns in the US and Europe — the main generating markets for most of the region. Many hotels began having difficulty making their loan payments and several had to go into receivership. Hotels are at the core of the islands’ product offers, along with a great variety of natural and cultural attractions and, to a lesser extent, man-made attractions. So when the hotels suffer, the countries suffer. A very useful survey by KPMG reconfirms this, as well as the reticence of lenders and investors to return to the Caribbean. If you are working in the Caribbean and/or are interested in tourism development in the region, their survey is worth reading. Click here to download it.

Kitabi Cultural Village Reported in AllAfrica.com

East Africa, Sustainable Tourism Resources No Responses »

Sep 292012

Jean Pierre Bucyensenge of AllAfrica.com published a helpful article today about the Kitabi Cultural Village initiative, which is supported by the USAID-sponsored Nyungwe Nziza and the Rwanda Development Board. He wrote that

“The place is named “Kitabi Cultural Village” and was developed by a local cooperative, the Friends of Nyungwe, under the support of the Rwanda Development Board and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

It is a unique destination that promotes community-based tourism by involving local communities in the preservation of Rwanda’s culture and heritage.

It offers day trips, king’s hut accommodation, royal ambiance, traditional music and dance, community walk through a tea and banana plantation as well as camping sites.”

Click here for the full article.

Obama Administration Tourism Strategy is Working

Tourism Policy, Tourism Strategy, Tourism Trends, US States, USA No Responses »

Sep 192012

The US Department of Commerce announced today that the President’s January Executive Order and May release of the country’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy, international tourism and spending have increased substantially. In a White House press release issued today, the Administration said the following:

“The Obama Administration’s number one priority is to strengthen our economy, create jobs, and restore economic security for the middle class. One way to help strengthen the economy is to make the U.S. the top destination for international visitors. Since the President issued an Executive Order in January and the National Travel and Tourism Strategy was subsequently released by this Administration in May, the Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, Interior, and State have put a priority on expanding travel to and within the U.S., while remaining vigilant in protecting our national security.

Today, we learned that these efforts are working. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that international visitors spent an estimated $13.7 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of July–$350 million (3 percent) more than was spent in July 2011. Travel and tourism-related exports have increased, on average, more than $1.1 billion a month during the first seven months of 2012.

Also today, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released estimates for the second quarter 2012 from their Travel and Tourism Satellite Accounts. These accounts present a detailed picture of travel and tourism activity and its role in the U.S. economy, including estimates of spending by travelers in six categories of goods and service as well as estimates of the employment generated by travel and tourism and related industries. Today’s data reveal that real spending on travel and tourism increased at an annual rate of 2.1 percent in the second quarter of 2012 after increasing 4.9 percent (revised) in the first quarter of 2012, supporting 7.6 million jobs.”

The bottom line is noteworthy for tourism administrations and organizations around the world: tourism can make a substantial positive impact on economies, especially export earnings, jobs and incomes.

And, as the US Travel and Tourism Satellite Account shows, this positive economic impact spreads all across an economy. The Satellite Account enables the US Government to more accurately measure the direct and indirect economic impacts. The Satellite Account numbers show faster growth in the tourism economy than the economy as a whole. Click on the links for more information direct from the White House and the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Nyungwe Nziza Project voted one of best tourism development projects by the British Guild of Travel Writers

East Africa No Responses »

Sep 142012

On Wednesday, September 12th, the British Guild of Travel Writers conducted a first round of voting for their annual Tourism Awards. The USAID-sponsored Nyungwe Nziza Project, for which SW Associates has been a sub-contractor for the past two years, was voted as one of the three best “Overseas Projects/Attractions” by BGTW members. The overall winner will be selected at an Awards dinner on Sunday, November 4th at the Savoy Hotel in London.

We are pleased that the Nyungwe Nziza Project, which is being implemented with the Rwanda Development Board and Nyungwe National Park team, has been recognized by the UK’s top travel journalists as one of the world’s top tourism development projects. There is a lot more work to be done, but it is good to know that the Guild sees the Park deserving of continued support.

Chinese Tourism — “Always on My Mind”

Asia, Australia, China, Chinese outbound travel, Tourism Marketing No Responses »

Sep 112012

Over the past couple of years, after working on tourism development projects around the globe, for nearly every destination without exception from tiny St Lucia to India, China is on everyone’s minds in the tourism world. I couldn’t help but think of the song “Always on My Mind,” which has been bouncing around the charts globally now in 300 recorded versions. If you recall, the lyrics went partially like this: “If I made you feel second best…Girl I’m sorry I was blind…You were always on my mind…”

Well, destinations such as Australia are far from blind about the Chinese outbound market or considering it second best. The latest edition of the HVS Asia Pacific Newsletter just reported the following, which I take to be an interesting market indicator:

“The Australian Government has granted Tourism Australia a new fund, Asia Marketing Fund, worth A$48.5 million (US$49.9 million). The new funding aims to generate increased visitation and economic returns from Asia, which is Australia’s fastest growing tourism region. Visitor numbers from Asia have tripled since 1990, and spending by Asian visitors in Australia has grown by 64% since 2000. Tourism Australia will focus the first year of the fund on four strategic projects, includng targeting three secondary cities in China – Qingdao, Chengdu and Chongqing through its existing China 2020 Strategy.”

64% growth in spending! Not surprising that the Fund is also targeting secondary cities. Secondary cities in a Chinese context are still nearly of megalopolis sizes. There are more than 100 cities with populations over 1 million in the country! Lots of potential outbound generating markets!

What motivates a Government to triple VAT on tourism?

Europe, Tourism and VAT, Tourism Policy, Tourism-related Taxes No Responses »

Sep 102012

This morning the following story from eTurbo News caught my attention: “Iceland tourism braces for huge VAT increase.” VAT is going from 7% to a whopping 25.5%, although a decrease in tourism taxation in 2007 resulted in a 2008 increase of 6% in tourism receipts. The story does not explain the Government’s rationale for proposing this, especially since a report from the Ministry of Finance predicts declines in arrivals, overnights and receipts. So, why is this being proposed?

VAT manipulations are one of several fiscal policy tools Governments use to raise revenue, sometimes actually for reinvestment in the tourism industry, but that seems to be more the exception than the rule. How much VAT is too much? At one point does an increase become a disincentive to visitors, businesses and investors?

The Icelandic Tourism Industry Association reported the following highlights of analyses from KPMG and a report for the Ministry of Finance from the Economic University of Iceland:

*From the Economic Report: arrivals could decrease by 48,000, domestic overnights by 82,000.

*Icelandic tourism offers are so unique that foreign visitors are willing to pay more.

*But the change could scare away a portion of the market.

It will be interesting to see where this story goes and how the Government is justifying the increase.

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