Tourism in Burundi
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BURUNDI, 2015/11/10
Two years ago, Burundi was the up and coming destination in Eastern Africa, at the same time as under the stewardship of Carmen Nibigira, again Director General of the Burundia National Tourist Office, a new vision for the country was rolled out and the country was trending in Eastern Africa, buzzing with excitement over new initiatives.
The came the powergrab of President Nkurunziza for what most nations in the region, in Africa and across the world continue to view as illegal under the constitution of the country and under the Arusha Peace Agreement, which saw institutions manipulated and key opponents driven into exile before a sham election gave the regime a third term.
In the run up by presently, Ms. Nibigira had since left to complete her Ph.D. studies, were Visa regulations changed, demanding Visa in advance, ostensibly to keep journalists and suspected human rights activists out of the country, by presently leading to a free fall in tourist arrival numbers. The cost of initially 90 US Dollars, additional recently downsized to 50 US Dollars, too contributed to visitors staying away from Burundi and the nascent tourism industry took a heavy beating.
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BURUNDI, 2015/11/08
Burundi’s economic increase, last year still standing at over 4.7 %, to a significant part aided by a sharp rise in tourism receipts, is presently in free fall. Tourism has been made all but impossible at the same time as, in order to keep unwanted journalists and human rights activists, supposedly posing as tourists, out of the country, the regime halted issuing visa on arrival.
This happened in a little while next regime leader Nkurunziza launched his – largely seen as illegal – bid for a third term in office, a move which has since the sham elections before this year set the country as well on collision course with its immediate neighbors.
Burundi, part of the East African Community (EAC), is by rotational principle due to take over the chair of the EAC but other nations - Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda - have by presently held talks in camera over fears that international development partners will cut aid to the EAC and the Secretariat in Arusha, should Nkurunziza be elected as chair.
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BURUNDI, 2014/12/06
At the same time as Carmen Nibigira was appointed to the position of Director General of the Burundi Tourism Office, a breath of fresh air took hold almost instantly, and suddenly there was a buzz about Burundi in the wider region, and regular tourism observers took notice.
Coming home from a successful ITB, where the Burundi Tourism stand was runner up in the race for “Best African Exhibitor,” the country’s fledgling tourism industry took hope that they too would any minute at this time join their additional successful partners in the East African Community in making tourism a increase industry and tapping into tourist dollars and euros.
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BURUNDI, 2014/09/13
Burundi, East Africa’s smallest economy and hardly explored by tourists so far, hopes for a major boost in popularity translating in better visitor numbers, presently that FlyDubai has put the country on the map at the same time as launching flights twice a week via Entebbe later in September.
Hitherto connected to the world by Brussels Airlines, and to the region and beyond by Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir, Burundi’s major airport in Bujumbura has not exactly seen a great transaction of action and the arrival of the Gulf’s leading low-cost carrier is bound to raise interest and drive up numbers.
