Rwandans in UK.com

The unnamed Rwandan passenger died shortly      after reaching King Faisal Hospital in Kigali. The afternoon plane was headed for Uganda and had fifteen people on board.

The pilot was among the injured. The co-pilot was by press time still trapped inside the plane. The plane crash put airport business activities at standstill for hours.

Rwandair acting CEO, Jack Ekl told The NewTimes the plane, leased from the Nairobi-based Jetlink Express, had technical difficulties shortly after taking off and requested an emergency landing.

“It was something to do with the engine but we are still investigating the exact cause,” Ekl explained.

An eyewitness said the plane crashed at a time when another plane- Kenya Airlines was preparing to take off.

“It was going to be a disaster but the pilot managed to dodge us and instead crashed into the VIP lounge,” the eyewitness, who was aboard Kenya Airways said.

Following the accident, the Kenya Airways flight was cancelled, leaving over 100 passengers stranded.  Richard Masozera, Director General of Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority described the accident as unfortunate and an isolated case.

Meanwhile, an ambulance that was carrying an injured pilot from the airport knocked two motorcycles and pedestrians as it sped off to King Faisal Hospital.

The pedestrian identified as Vincent Ruvuna died instantly, also injuring those in the ambulance even more.

BY IGNATIUS SSUUNA, EDWIN MUSONI
AND GASHEEGU MURAMILA

The country’s stand at this prestigious exhibition was selected the best among 600 other stands in the category of “good personnel, excellent customer service and doing business at the stand”.

“This is good news for our nation,” Rosette Rugamba, RDB’s Deputy CEO in-charge of Tourism told The New Times.  

“It’s an important award for Rwanda and demonstrates how our tourism industry is attaining good levels of professionalism. This kind of recognition helps to promote Rwanda to the global travel industry,” Rugamba said. 
The award will be officially presented to Rwanda today by the organisers of this exhibition. 

Rwanda has been attending this important exhibition since 2000 but this marks the first time it has scooped such an award from the prestigious exhibition.

The annual premier global event for the travel industry attracts nearly 50,000 exhibitors from over 190 countries and over 2,500 media outlets.

The UK ranks as the second largest tourist generating market for Rwanda.

Rwanda has emerged best exhibitor in the African category three times continuously during the annual Berlin exhibition.

Reported in the New Times

According to Patrick Manzi, the Marketing Manager of the Rwanda Development Board- Tourism and Conservation Department, the annual WTM event attracts nearly 50,000 exhibitors from over 190 countries and over 2,500 media.

“It is important for our country to participate in the unique opportunity WTM provides as it gives us the ability to meet the global travel industry and work with them all under one roof,” Manzi said.

“It is an important environment to promote Rwanda as a destination of choice for tourists, especially as they prepare to travel for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa,” Manzi explained.

The WTM participation is one of several initiatives to lure the 780,000 visitors to Rwanda this year generating an estimated $195million (Rwf110.2 billion) in tourism revenue.    

The board is targeting to hit $278 million (Rwf157.1 billion) from tourism revenues by 2012.

In the Expo, Rwanda will be showcasing the vast opportunities and new experiences available to tourists visiting the country and its beautiful landscape, which includes; a new canopy walk in Nyungwe forest which will be the first of its kind in the Eastern Region, the Interpretation Centre, a high end 20 seat leisure boat facilitating tourism on lake Kivu, an extraordinary three.

During the exhibition, East African Community (EAC) member states will hold a joint cocktail party at the Rwanda stand, where EAC Ambassadors and Ministers will collaborate in a press conference to market the region with the sole aim of stimulating investment and trade in East Africa.

Remarkably, Rwanda has embraced the joint EAC marketing initiative.  The UK ranks as the second largest tourist generating market for Rwanda. RDB, Tourism and Conservation has retained the services of Race-point Group, a global PR consultancy, to advise on how to maximize their presence at WTM 2009.

Race-point together with the Rwanda Embassy in the UK will work closely with these organisations to arrange press briefings at the show to discuss new and exciting developments with travel and tourism in Rwanda. 

Reported in the New times