East African Regional Tourism Expo opens in Burundi

With a theme of “Rethinking Tourism for Social Economic Development in the East African Community,” the week long East African Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE) second edition has attracted over 250 exhibitors from over 10 African countries, 120 international and regional travel agents, and buyers with about 2,500 trade visitors.

Launched last year by the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat in Tanzania, the main objective of the regional tourism marketing and promotional platform is to promote EAC member countries as a single tourism destination.

Second edition of the EARTE kicked off with the registration of exhibitors and a networking event on September 23, 2022, to be followed by three days of exhibitions, seminars, and investment to be taking   from September 24 to 26 at Cercle Hippique de Bujumbura grounds and World Tourism Day (WTD) Celebrations on September 27.

The hosted buyers comprising international travel agents and travel trade partners will participate familiarization trips to different tourist sites in Burundi from September 27 to 30 before ending the event.

The EAC Secretariat said through its statement from its headquarters in Tanzania that the Second Edition of the EARTE was officially opened by the Burundi Vice President Prosper Bazombanza on behalf of Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye

Main objective of the EARTE is to promote EAC as a single tourism destination, provide a platform for tourism service providers’ business-to-business (B2B) engagements, create awareness on tourism investment opportunities and address the challenges affecting the tourism and wildlife sectors in the region.

The theme for this year is “Rethinking Tourism for Social Economic Development in the East African Community”, resonating with the United Nations World Tourism Day commitment to campaign for tourism destinations.

This year’s UNWTO Day also encourage stakeholders around the world to remodel tourism following the devastating impact of COVID-19 pandemic which had adversely affected the tourism sector globally.

More than 20 exhibitors from Tanzania are participating in the EARTE in Bujumbura.

The exhibitors are comprising government corporate institutions including Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC), the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.

The annual EARTE’s main objective is to promote the EAC bloc as a single tourism destination.

The tourism expo was also aimed at providing a platform for tourism service providers’ business-to-business engagements, creating awareness of tourism investment opportunities and addressing challenges affecting the tourism and wildlife sectors in the region, according to the statement.

Tanzania was the first member state of the EAC to host the first edition of the EARTE in Arusha, the headquarters of the EAC last year.