Michaella Rugwizangoga, the Chief Tourism Officer at the Rwanda Development Board, emphasized the untapped potential in sports tourism, urging the youth to engage themselves in the vast opportunities it presents.
The synergies between sports and tourism have not only put Rwanda on the global map but have significantly contributed to its economic rejuvenation post-pandemic.
With a remarkable recovery rate of 80%, primarily attributed to strategic partnerships with global entities like Arsenal and PSG, and hosting legendary NBA figures, Rwanda’s sports tourism is one contributor to the $455 million the nation gained last year from Tourism. Yet, for the youth, this is more than a revenue discourse – it’s an open call to leap into a future loaded with promise.
“Sports is a whole industry,” Rugwizangoga says, elaborating on the many professions it incubates – from journalism, coaching, and sports law, to fashion, citing the emergence of ‘Made in Rwanda’ sports apparel during noteworthy events like the BAL and Giants of Africa event.
The Chief Tourism Officer underscores a reality – sports transcend the games; they’re an ecosystem of opportunities, with unexplored potential for the nation’s youthful population.
She said, “You don’t go to a match without having a great jersey or a great outfit. And we’ve seen a lot of young designers doing Made in Rwanda, really leveraging the BAL, the Giants of Africa event, and other events. And this is what we want to see happening.”
“There’s also other fields of work such as being a coach, being a sports lawyer. I think in Rwanda we have very few sports lawyers, not even more than five. These are fields where we should think of entering.”
Rugwizangoga underscores the importance of exposure through initiatives like sports clinics and mentoring sessions during the BAL, which previously were a far-fetched dream for many. Today, the world comes knocking at Rwanda’s doorstep, bringing along a cascade of opportunities.
Rugwizangoga calls the youth to delve deeper, look beyond the surface, and not just attend matches at the BK Arena but discern the industry’s multifaceted nature.
She says, “But I also want to mention that for our young people to be aware of these opportunities, it’s not just enough to go and attend a match at the BK Arena, to go and attend a concert after the Gems of Africa.
“They should inform themselves. They should go on Google, understand what the industry is, understand what they can gain from the industry, do their research, and then actively participate in that,” she emphasized.
