While addressing the 23rd World Travel and Tourism Council Global summit in Rwanda, on November 2, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the country had emerged to be a global travel destination.

Three decades ago, Rwanda experienced its darkest moment in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. More than one million Tutsi were killed in three months. The economy was ravaged. At the time, Rwanda was seen as a failed state, far from being a tourist destination.

“This was a place that people fled from, a situation that the world looked away from, in horror. But we vowed not to let the past define us. That is how, early on, we identified tourism as a key driver of economic growth, and employment,” Kagame said.

It is not by accident that Rwanda has quickly risen to be one of the world's must-see destinations, thanks to the country’s commitment to conservation and responsible tourism.

How did the small East African country become a global travel destination?

Rwanda's tourism sector is based on its natural beauty. Among others, there is the remarkable Gorilla trekking experience in the Volcanoes National Park.

The Rwandan government, through Rwanda Development Board (RDB), in collaboration with conservation partners, successfully protected and increased the endangered mountain gorilla population, and preserved its habitats, making them one of the top most visited animals in Rwanda.

Through mountain gorilla conservation and re-introduction of threatened and endangered species, the country improved its tourism sector, ranking it the global travel destination.

Rwandan gorilla conservation is grounded in community involvement. To protect endangered wild animals, local populations must be mobilized and integrated, and state laws must be established to address conflicts between humans and wild animals.

Rwanda's sustainable tourism has become a regional and global solution for nature conservation, saving world treasures, mountain gorillas.

Related: How giving back to community boosted Rwanda's gorilla conservation effort

Rwanda's commitment to conservation and the protection of national parks and ecosystem has enabled the country to achieve significant conservation achievements.

Among the key conservation strategies was the expansion of the Akagera National Park buffer zone, the long-term protection of Nyungwe and Akagera National Park through a unique partnership with African Parks, and the rehabilitation and establishment of Gishwati-Mukura National Park.

Travelers can also track chimpanzees in Africa’s oldest rainforest, Nyungwe Forest National Park, or spot the Big Five in Akagera National Park, one of the biggest attractions in Akagera where by the travelers get to see the lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, and rhinos.

Rwanda also harnessed the power of sports in promoting tourism.  Partnerships with major European football clubs played a  pivotal role in promoting the country's tourism sector. Rwanda partnered with German football club Bayern Munich, marking its third major football club partnership, following deals with Arsenal and PSG.

According to CNN Travel, Rwanda is on the list of 23 destinations that are the best destinations in the world to visit in 2023.

Related: How Rwanda is investing in ecotourism, conservation

Despite the immense challenges the country faced, it has managed to achieve impressive security and political stability that enables visitors to feel safe and secure while visiting the country.

The country’s safety allows travelers to travel unaccompanied throughout the country.

Rwanda is a rare example of how luxury eco-tourism is driving the country’s travel industry to great heights.

The tourism industry in Rwanda continues to be one of the fastest-growing sectors, generating millions of dollars in revenue each year.

So far, the $247 million generated in the first half of 2023, was a 56 per cent increase compared to $158 million in 2022. The country aims to increase tourism receipts to $800 million by 2024.