This archive report was first published on 4 December 2019.
On Wednesday, Rwanda sealed a deal with Paris St Germain, a French soccer club, to promote tourism in the East African nation. The agreement, which is the country's second of its kind since last year, aims to boost Rwanda's global image.
According to Clare Akamanzi, the chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board, the deal is part of the country's efforts to invest in strategic collaborations that positively impact its global perception. 'We invest part of our tourism revenues in strategic collaborations such as the one with Paris St Germain because we understand the positive effect they have on the overall perception of the country globally,' Akamanzi stated.
The terms of the deal, which were not disclosed by Akamanzi, are reportedly worth between 8 and 10 million euros, according to a source close to the French club. Under the agreement, Paris St Germain will promote Rwandan products, and messages promoting Rwanda will be displayed on its women's team kit and in the club's stadium.
Paris St Germain announced the deal on Twitter, stating that it had signed a partnership 'inviting the world to participate in the remarkable transformation of Rwanda.' This is not the first time Rwanda has partnered with a soccer club to promote tourism; last May, the country signed a sponsorship and tourism promotion deal with Arsenal, an English soccer club.
Rwanda has been working to boost its tourism industry, which earned the country $380 million in 2018. The central bank forecast that the country would earn $405 million from tourism this year and $800 million by 2024, mainly from conferences and high-end tourists who trek with gorillas.
