Source: Mantis Collection

On 10th October,2017, the Rwanda Social Security Board signed a Hotel Management and Marketing Agreement with one of the African leading hotel management and marketing firms, Mantis Collection, headquartered in Queen Elizabeth Park, South Africa.

The purpose of the 10 years management and marketing agreement is to boost revenue performance of the facility while attracting and retaining global clientele. The Mantis has a highly demonstrated capacity and systems for management and marketing of such facilities. The Akagera Game Lodge itself, located in one of the Rwandan most attractive and strategic tourist sites, Akagera National Park, provides high potential for profits and would highly contribute to tourism development and leisure in Rwanda.

The RSSB is the sole proprietor of the Akagera Game Lodge, being a limited liability company that has 100% shares and operates the beautiful Akagera Game lodge. Outsourcing Mantis shall help to mainstream the lodge into its African collection of hotels and lodges managed and marketed globally. At the moment, this is the only accommodation facility inside the Akagera National Park boundaries, except a couple of tented safari camps.

The game lodge is less of a traditional safari-lodge but more of a hotel. The Lodge is located on the shores of Lake Ihema hence offering beautiful views the Lake. It is not a seasonal accommodation facility; it opens all year round and offers a total of 64 rooms. It also offers a splendid relaxed atmosphere that is ideal for a quite gateway, a conference, as well as an uninterrupted wildlife encounter.It has a variety of rooms ranging from Singles, Doubles and Twin rooms. There are also Family plus Executive suites, as well as luxury in cottages. Each of rooms has its private verandah that offers breathtaking views over Lake Ihema. Guests can enjoy the beautiful sights of the sun setting over the distant horizon, in the comfort of their rooms.

Akagera Game Lodge rooms are beautifully decorated with an African style touch and each room has beds, satellite TV, a desk and chair. The interior décor of each of the rooms has been carefully done and follows an African theme with nice lighting.
The paths to the rooms are well lit consequently enabling the guests to easily walk to their rooms at night.

A highly qualified and skilled firm is now sourced to manage and market this attractive facility and for the next 10 years the investor(RSSB) shall remain assured of commensurate returns.

"We are glad to embark together with Mantis Group in this ambitious and strategic plan for Akagera Game Lodge, an important step in demonstrating the Government of Rwanda's expansion plan within the tourism industry and it's potential to grow even further in the near future. It is also very substantive that Mantis Group's principles are aligned with #Rwanda's development objectives in the industry" Ms.Belise Kariza Chief Tourism Officer Rwanda Development Board

Rwanda Development Board re-iterates its commitment to catalyse tourism development in Rwanda.The success in this deal will add to the existing strategy into the Rwandan travel,tourism and hospitality value chain, which currently accounts for a total of US$1Billion in investment.The opening of the Kigali Convention Center and major 5* star hotels in Kigali in 2016 reflect an investment of more than 300 Mio US$. With the purchase of 2 wide-bodied A 330 Airbus jets and the start of construction of the new Bugesera airport in 2017 another investment into travel and tourism infrastructure of more than 800 Mio US% has been launched. The impact of the KCC and the hotel investments is already visible: High calibre Conventions have taken place at Kigali and are planned in 2018 and following years:

The investments into the airline and the airport infrastructure will further boost travel; number of Rwandair passengers will rise from around 600,000 in 2016 to more than 1 Million in 2018/19 and are expected to double with the next years.

Long haul flights to Asia and Europe will reshape the passenger structure. Becoming a flight hub in Africa will offer additional opportunities for stop over vacations.

This Billion Dollar investment will offer private investors unprecedented opportunities to embark on investments into hotels and tourism attractions. Along the Kivu Belt unique sites have been demarcated for tourism developments. Investment opportunities of more than US$ 150 are ready for immediate development.

Volcanoes National Park has already benefited from investments into high end luxury lodges. The government has demarcated rare land at the Twin Lakes, in close proximity to Volcanoes National Park which is also available for immediate investments.
Eastern Province, Akagera National Park and Lake Muhazi will benefit from new road developments; a limited number of prime sites close to Akagera National Park and at Lake Muhazi are available.

Against this background the road to further growth of tourism has been paved.

Rwanda tourism development is on a steady growth path.