IN THE VALLEY 15. Positioning a country around sports and beyond
Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.
Visit us at https://silverbacksvalley.com
Find us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVg
A question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.com
Disclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice.
This episode is powered by Afroballers.
5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED WITH MICHAELLA RUGWIZANGOGA IN THE VALLEY.
1."As a chemical engineering student, I had a fascination for nation branding."
Michaella studied in Germany, a country that had to experiment in nation branding after the Second World War. She explains how inspired she was by the German model and thought about nation branding as a concept. To her, her current role is another sign that the dots always end up connecting at some point - as Steve Jobs once said.
2."It has to start from the foundation, for us it's the vision of our President H.E. Paul Kagame"
Michaella dives into what has made Rwanda's strategy successful. She explains how having a common vision, upheld by a leader is instrumental for the execution of a nation branding strategy. The President of Rwanda has been recognized for his bold initiatives to promote Rwanda : Building the Kigali Arena in six months, and see the returns through basketball tournaments, concerts, and global meetings (including FIFA World Congress) the soon to be completed 45,000 seats football Stadium (Amahoro Stadium) and Rwanda hosting the World Cycling Championship in 2025.
3."Sports have a unifier effect"
Michaella explains why sports has become an instrumental element of Rwanda's strategy to stimulate tourism. The BAL Finals are one of the few periodic rendez-vous that have made Kigali the place to be. Rwanda has been hosting the BAL Finals for three years in a row and has just signed a new five year agreement. Visit Rwanda sports partnerships have been instrumental for the tourism recovery post-covid, just in 2022, the country attracted more than 1 million visitors generating beyond 240 Millions dollars in revenues .
4."Revenues from the gorillas trekkings are reinvested in the community."
Rwanda's tourism has largely been driven by gorilla trekking activities. Our very own company, the Silverbacks, was inspired by my face to face encounter with arguably one of earth's most edifying creatures, one endowed with as much calm as sheer dominance. Michaella reveals that the popularity of these treks have allowed the country to nurture the gorilla community to the point that their natural habitat will now have to be expanded. Earlier this year, the country held its 19th "Kwita Izina" baby gorilla naming ceremony attended by several celebrities including Idris Elba, Joakim Noah and Winston Duke and Danai Gurira of the Black Panther cast. As a testament to Rwanda's effort to develop sustainable tourism, UNESCO has now recognised the Nyungwe Park as a World Heritage Site.
5."It is happening in Rwanda but we are doing it for Africa."
From 1st to 3rd November 2023, Rwanda will host the World Travel & Tourism Council's Global Summit. This will be the first time that this Summit is hosted in Africa and a great testament to the tourism achievements of the country. Michaella speaks on how Rwanda's efforts are contributing to putting Africa on the spotlight. She believes that each African country has a unique offering and that every country can develop its unique position to attract tourists.
Rwanda is visa-free for all citizens from the African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie area; other countries get visas on arrival. Whatever you do, make sure to … #VisitRwanda!