From 25^th May to 4^th June, 2022, IPRC Kitabi Year 2 Tourism Destination Management students conducted a field study in tour guiding and tourism product development process modules.

             Year 2 Tourism students at The Ellen Degeneres campus of The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

This module aimed at equipping trainees with the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to analyze tourism product development process, develop new product, package tourism products and finally be able to diversify tourism product while preparing great guide with required skills, knowledge and attitudes to conduct a meaningful tour interpretation.  

This field study was conducted at Nyungwe National Park for guiding course, interpretation of primates, plants, and canopy walkway, Akagera National Park for game drive, Mount Kabuye for vegetation zones and hiking, Dian Fossey Gorilla fund in Musanze, Environmental museum in Karongi for guiding and interpretation and water-based tourism in Kivu lake, Karongi side.

During this field Study, our Year2, Tourism Destination Management students experienced: The Ndambarare waterfall and Canopy walkway, full game drive, conservation gallery tour, biodiversity trail, talk on gorilla conservation, tourism product development process, hiking and guiding practices in a bus at Ibere rya Bigongwe and Pfunda tea factory route, boat riding in Kivu lake, hiking Napoleon island to the top & bird watching session.

This successful field study equipped the trainees with on-tour interpretation practices and destinations’ point of interests, ability to analyze potentiality of unexploited touristic places and enabled them to manage safari equipment, lead the tour and prepare an effective tour report as they acquire employable skills in the field of tourism.

For Rwanda to double tourism revenues as per its tourism master plan, there is a need for developing new products and diversify the existing products aimed at meeting the presents and future demands.

               Year 2 Tourism students at NDAMBARARE water fall in Nyungwe National Park/Photo by Jimmy

                                 Year 2 Tourism students at Gisakura tea plantation/Photo by Jimmy

                      Year 2 Tourism students at Canopy walk way in Nyungwe National Park/Photo by Jimmy

                             Year 2 Tourism students at the top of Napoleon island in Kivu lake/Photo by Jimmy