DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES OF TOURISM POLICIES A CASE STUDY OF VISIT RWANDA BRAND IN MUSANZE DISTRICT (2018-2024)

Abstract

The main purpose for this study was to investigate the development outcomes of tourism policies as case study of visit Rwanda brand in Musanze District. Particularly the study sought to analyze the strategies of doing branding and tourism promotion policy in Musanze District; to determine the extent to which tourism promotion policies contribute to development of rural communities of Musanze District; to find out the challenges based on branding and tourism promotion policies Musanze District and to propose the strategies to overcome the challenges by branding and tourism promotion policies in Musanze District. The sample size was 400 respondents selected using purposive and convenience sampling method from the total population of 268,912 including managers of hotels, managers of private companies and local authorities of Musanze District. Questionnaires and interview were used to collect primary data. Descriptive statistics were used where distribution (frequencies, percentages) through statistical package for social sciences (SPSS, 23.0). The study found that that tourism industry has emerged as a key force in boosting a Musanze‟s economy and to insure that the great growth of tourism activities over the years is associated with outstanding economic and social benefits. It is evident that the respondents tourism generates income for a variety of businesses and creates a wide range of employment opportunities. Since inauguration of visit Rwanda promotion, large number of moving visitors into an area pushes up the number of different sellers from different products and services of tourism related, meaning that local people have to benefit more from food, drinks, transport etc. This means that many people employed in restaurants, cafes, shops and in the transport industry owe their jobs to the people who visit tourism different destinations. Through coefficient of determination, the study found that at 91.9% confidence interval, great variation in the socio-cultural expansion, environmental sustainability, economic development, and employment development in Musanze district is accounted to changes throughout tourism promotion policies based on implemented strategies. Visit Rwanda branbd has played an important role in the increase of foreign tourists and the need for almost all tourism products and services from different sectors of the economy of Musanze District. Increased crime in the area, such as prostitution, illegal gambling and drug dealing and robbery and infrastructure issues, and security and cross border regulations were challenges on branding and tourism promotion policies Musanze District. The proposed solutions to overcome these challenges were to develop a range of quality tourism products and services, capable of attracting and meeting the needs of international, regional and domestic visitors. Therefore, having analyzed, discussed and interpreted collected data of this study, the study recommends that it should be Sensitize the private sector, tourism agencies, environmental agencies and NGOs to the importance of communities involvement in tourism development and Exploit opportunities for tourism training and awareness, finance and incentives for tourism development.