Rwanda earned $161.5 million from travel services exports in the fourth quarter of 2025, representing a 28 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).
Travel services exports refer to money spent in Rwanda by foreign visitors on accommodation, food, transport, shopping, entertainment, education, and health services during their stay.
The growth highlights the continued recovery and expansion of Rwanda’s tourism and travel sector, which remains a key source of foreign exchange earnings for the country.
Air travellers generated the largest share
Most of the revenue came from visitors arriving by air, who accounted for about 85 percent of total travel export receipts during the quarter.
This translates to roughly $136.7 million, making air travel the biggest contributor to tourism earnings.
In contrast, visitors entering Rwanda through land borders contributed $24.9 million, despite their numbers being significantly higher.
Land visitors generally spend less because many travel for short stays, mainly to visit friends and relatives.
During the same period, more than 350,000 non-resident travellers entered Rwanda through land borders, largely from the East African Community (EAC).
Holiday tourism brought the most money
Among different travel purposes, holiday tourism generated the highest revenue, bringing in about $65 million during the quarter.
A large portion of this income came from gorilla trekking, which alone accounted for about 71 percent of holiday tourism earnings, confirming its position as Rwanda’s most lucrative tourism attraction.
Other purposes of travel included business trips, visits to friends and relatives, education, and health-related travel.
North America visitors spent the most
By region of origin, visitors from North America were the top spenders, contributing $40.8 million to Rwanda’s travel revenues during the quarter.
They were followed by:
Rest of Africa: $34.5 million
Europe: $26.2 million
These long-haul visitors tend to stay longer and spend more per day.
On average, North American tourists spent about $138 per day, while European visitors spent around $123 per day and stayed roughly 11 nights.
Rwanda recorded a travel surplus
During the same quarter, Rwandan residents spent $95.9 million on travel abroad, mainly on business trips, education, and family visits.
Since the country earned $161.5 million from foreign visitors, Rwanda recorded a positive travel services balance of $65.6 million, meaning the country earned significantly more from international travel than it spent overseas.
Tourism remains a key economic pillar
Tourism continues to play a major role in Rwanda’s economy.
In 2024 alone, international visitors spent nearly $600 million in the country, contributing significantly to national income and employment.
The latest figures show that high-value international tourists—especially those arriving by air for leisure activities such as gorilla trekking—remain the biggest drivers of Rwanda’s travel service export earnings.
By Andrew shyaka
