The Role of Educational Institutions in Sustainable Tourism Development in Rwanda

  • Alphonse Habimana Universidad Azteca University, Department of Hospitality Management
  • Prof. Dr. Ricardo Saaverdra Director and Chair International Programs Azteca University
  • Prof. Vince Sinining Researcher and Lecturer at University of Technology and Arts of Byumba (UTAB)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/VGZYM
Keywords: Sustainable Development, Sustainable tourism development, Technical Vocational Education and Training, Tourism Education

Abstract

1 Alphonse Habimana

2 Prof. Dr. Ricardo Saaverdra

3 Prof. Vince Sinining

Received 06thFeb 2023,

Accepted 19th Mar 2023,

Online 27th Mar 2023

1 Universidad Azteca University, Department of Hospitality Management

2 Director and Chair International Programs Azteca University

3 Researcher and Lecturer at University of Technology and Arts of Byumba (UTAB)

 

Abstract: Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the world, and its environmental impacts are so great that the achievement of sustainable tourism would seem to integral to the achievement of sustainable development. Tourism impacts are wide-ranging, are perceived differently by different interest groups, and are subject to extensive uncertainty. However, there appears to be widespread agreement that education has, at the very least, an important role to play in the achievement of sustainable tourism.

The tourism industry is a significant driver of the global economy and impacts societies all over the world that are currently experiencing radical change. Responding to these changes requires economic paradigms and educational systems based on new foundations. It has received a remarkable reputation worldwide, and education tourism is a growing segment of tourism development.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), tourism has become one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The grandeur of the hospitality and tourism industry, along with globalization, advancements in technology and climate change has impacted on needs to travel, live and work in sustainable ways. This places an increasing demand on the tourism industry to act accountably in the practice of social, economic and environmental sustainability. With the adoption of the United Nations Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, sustainability has become a primary global focus with sustainable development goals and associated targets (SDGs). This shift has also impacted on tourism education. There is little research, however, in secondary tourism education and the presence of sustainability in the curriculum. Previous research has established that teachers, students, and other stakeholders consider sustainable development (SD) in tourism education as important. Nonetheless, there is a gap and a lack of research on the presence of SD in tourism and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) across national borders and at upper secondary tourism education levels.

Rwanda as a small but growing market, with a population of nearly 13 million people and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP, Current) of $10.354 billion, according to the World Bank. Leading sectors include energy, agriculture, trade and hospitality, and financial services. Rwanda’s economy is overwhelmingly rural and heavily dependent on agriculture. Strong growth in the services sector over the past decade, particularly in construction and tourism, has contributed to overall economic growth. GNI per capita was $830 in 2019, according to the World Bank. The government is seeking to turn Rwanda into a regional trade, logistics, and conference hub. Pillars of this strategy include the construction of several new international business class hotels, a convention center in downtown Kigali, a new inland container terminal and bonded warehouse in Kigali. The government has also invested in expanding the fleet for the national carrier RwandAir and is pursuing U.S. authorization for a direct flight from Kigali to the United States. Construction of the new Bugesera International Airport is ongoing. In 2007, Rwanda joined the East African Community (EAC). Rwanda is also a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Rwanda has signed and ratified agreements on the movement of goods and services within the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Rwanda is the only nation in the region to have concluded a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with the United States. Rwanda has also concluded a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the United States. The most recent meeting on the TIFA was in October 2019. In 2009, Rwanda became a member of the Commonwealth and hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in June 2022, after postponements in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, Rwanda joined the OECD Development Center in 2019. Rwanda is a member of the Northern Corridor initiative, which includes Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia as core members and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Tanzania as observers. Rwanda is also at the forefront of the Central Corridor initiative, which also includes Burundi, DRC, Tanzania, and Uganda.  The large infrastructure projects (such as rail transportation) envisioned under these initiatives could help to reduce the cost of conducting business and transporting goods across the region.

Rwanda has shown commitment to bring improvements to its education sector. The development of Human capital that involves the enhancement of the education and health sectors was one of the main pillars of Rwanda’s development programme launched in 2000 to transform the country into a middle income state driven by the knowledge economy by 2020. Many developed countries joined in to financially support Rwanda to fulfil its development ambitions. Considering the history, there is some progress where education institutions have some contribution trough different ways of curriculum development, training and capacity building. This calls for current research of an international and comparative kind, in order to deepen the knowledge in the field there is a need for a more holistic approach to SD in the tourism curricula. This study attempts to explore the drivers of education tourism as the tool for sustainable tourism development to fulfill the existing research gap in the field of education tourism.

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Published
2023-03-27
How to Cite
Alphonse Habimana, Prof. Dr. Ricardo Saaverdra, & Prof. Vince Sinining. (2023). The Role of Educational Institutions in Sustainable Tourism Development in Rwanda. Central Asian Journal of Innovations on Tourism Management and Finance, 4(3), 51-80. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/VGZYM
Issue
Vol 4 No 3 (2023): March 2023
Section
Articles

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