On behalf of the President of the Republic of Burundi, the Vice-President of the Republic H.E. Ir Prosper BAZOMBANZA has enhanced with his presence, this Saturday 24 September 2022 at the Cercle Hippique of Bujumbura, the official launching of the 2nd EAC Regional Tourism Conference and Exhibition, under the theme: “Rethinking Tourism for Socio-Economic Development in the East African Community”.
The Minister in charge of tourism said that this central theme was chosen to make a vibrant call for a dynamic rebuilding of the tourism sector to mitigate the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis and build resilience to climate change and possible crises that may affect the tourism sector.
Speaking at the event, the Vice President of the Republic said that this exhibition will contribute immensely to the promotion of tourist attractions in the regional and international markets, noting that the EAC region is endowed with a multitude of tourist spots including pristine and sandy beaches, beautiful landscapes, a rich cultural heritage and an inescapable diversity of fauna and flora. “However, it is clear that the tourism potential of the Member States remains largely untapped,” he said.
The Vice President also specified that the Burundian government under the leadership of his Excellency Major General Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, President of the Republic, is committed to support the tourism sector in order to exploit its full potential. “We have prioritized it as an economic activity and we are, to this effect, creating political, legal and institutional frameworks for the effective development of this sector”, he hammered and also mentioned that Burundi is working with our development partners to modernize the Melchior Ndandaye International Airport and to improve its capacity to manage more flights and passenger traffic.
Before starting the visit of the stands selling products from EAC member countries, the Vice President of the Republic encouraged the participants of this regional conference to take advantage of our tourist offers in our warm city of Bujumbura and even beyond, including our local cuisine.
