02 Nov Smart Green Village breaks ground as Rwanda advances conservation-led tourism

Image by Mark Jordahl from Pixabay

Rwanda marked the 21st edition of Kwita Izina with the ground-breaking of the Smart Green Village, part of the Volcanoes Community Resilience Project and Rwanda’s long-term vision for the restoration and expansion of Volcanoes National Park. The initiative is designed to ensure communities surrounding Rwanda’s national parks benefit directly from conservation and tourism-driven growth.

The wider programme includes plans to expand Volcanoes National Park by approximately 3,740 hectares and establish around 6,620 hectares of buffer zones, creating additional habitat for Rwanda’s growing mountain gorilla population. The project is expected to improve livelihoods for more than 17,000 people across approximately 3,400 households while reducing human-wildlife conflict by 80 per cent. Rwanda also celebrated 21 years of Kwita Izina in 2026, with 22 baby mountain gorillas named during the annual conservation ceremony. Read the Rwanda Development Board announcement.

Major luxury hotel and lodge openings strengthen Rwanda’s premium tourism offering

Rwanda’s luxury tourism sector continued to expand in 2026 with the opening of LUX Lake Kivu, marking The Lux Collective’s debut in the destination, alongside the launch of SALT of Akagera, a new eco-luxury safari lodge in Rwanda’s only Big Five national park. Meanwhile, The Pinnacle Kigali, an ultra-luxury boutique hotel and members’ club, has further elevated the capital’s hospitality offering. Together, these developments create new opportunities for travel agents to package luxury, safari and gorilla trekking experiences across the country.  

Future investment remains strong, with Best Western Premier Royal Golf View Kigali scheduled to open in 2027 and The Lux Collective announcing plans for a wider Rwanda luxury circuit to open in 2028, including properties in Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe National Park and Akagera National Park. 

Rwanda invests in future growth and connectivity

Rwanda is preparing for the future opening of Bugesera International Airport, expected to be operational by 2028. The airport, co-owned by Qatar Airways, is expected to significantly enhance international connectivity and support the continued growth of leisure, luxury and business tourism.  

Further reinforcing Rwanda’s position on the global stage, Kigali will host the ICCA Congress in October 2027, marking the first time in more than 20 years that the flagship meetings industry event has returned to Africa. The congress is expected to attract more than 2,000 meetings and events professionals, strengthening Rwanda’s credentials as one of Africa’s leading destinations for international business events.