Over the last eight days, I had the privilege of traveling across Rwanda with a VIP international group through a journey organized by Iliza Expeditions Rwanda.
And honestly, one thing kept staying in my mind throughout the entire experience:
How can the perception of a country become so disconnected from the reality people experience when they actually arrive?
Before coming to Rwanda, some of our guests had understandable concerns influenced by recent international travel advisories connected to the region. But from the moment they arrived in Kigali, those fears slowly disappeared.
They discovered a city that was calm, organized, clean, modern, and secure. Restaurants were full. International conferences were taking place normally. Flights were operating smoothly. Tourists were comfortably exploring the country. Hotels and tourism businesses were fully operational.
This was not a country in unrest. This was not a country overwhelmed by violence. This was a country functioning with confidence, stability, and professionalism.
As we continued the journey through Volcanoes National Park, Lake Kivu, Nyungwe, Nyanza, and Akagera National Park, the reactions became even more emotional. “This is not what we expected.” “Why doesn’t the world see this Rwanda more often?”
In Volcanoes National Park, they stood face-to-face with mountain gorillas and were left speechless. Along Lake Kivu in Rubavu and Karongi, they experienced peace, beauty, and relaxation. In Nyungwe, they witnessed Rwanda’s extraordinary conservation efforts. In Akagera, they enjoyed one of Africa’s most remarkable safari experiences.
Everywhere we traveled, people were living normally. Businesses were open. Communities were active. Tourism activities continued successfully across the country.
This is why some of us in tourism and hospitality struggle to understand the increasingly alarmist tone that can sometimes accompany international advisories.
What makes this even more difficult to understand is that many of the individuals issuing or contributing to these advisories live here themselves. They move through Kigali daily. They attend public events, conferences, restaurants, hotels, and business meetings. They witness firsthand how Rwanda functions every single day.
So naturally, many people begin asking difficult questions.
How can a country that continues hosting international conferences, tourists, investors, sporting events, and global partnerships be portrayed internationally in ways that create fear disproportionate to the lived reality?
How does it become so easy to damage the image of an entire nation with broad narratives that many visitors immediately discover do not reflect what they actually experience upon arrival?
Precaution is understandable. Responsible communication is necessary. But perception also carries consequences. When advisories become overly generalized or alarmist, they do not only affect tourism statistics.
They affect livelihoods, businesses, jobs, investments, and the international confidence of a country working hard to position itself as a modern and reliable destination.
And yet, despite all this, Rwanda continues moving forward.
The Rwanda our guests experienced was peaceful, welcoming, vibrant, organized, and fully operational.
As someone who regularly receives international visitors, I can say this with complete confidence:
The Rwanda people experience when they come here speaks louder than the perception created from afar.
At Iliza expeditions Rwanda, we believe tourism is more than leisure. It is economic resilience. It is international confidence. It is human connection.
And after traveling across Rwanda for eight days with international guests, one thing remains absolutely clear to me: Rwanda’s reality is far stronger than the perception of fear.
The Author; Ablos, is a hospitality expert with experience spanning over two decades in East Africa. He is also the founder of Iliza Expeditions Rwanda.
Instagram: @ilizaexpeditions.
Well done my Brother