Musanze town has unveiled the plans for becoming an international conference hub as the district is a gateway for touristic destinations.

Musanze town, the biggest in the Northern Province, is also one of the six satellite cities. Others are Huye, Rubavu, Rusizi, Muhanga and Nyagatare.

It is located about 110 km from Kigali on the Kigali-Musanze-Rubavu highway. The district borders Uganda and DR Congo in the North and also home to touristic attractions like caves, mountain gorillas, volcanoes and luxury hotels among others.

Time magazine also ranked Musanze among the world’s greatest places of 2023.

The Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Andrew Rucyahana Mpuhwe, says that the district is currently working with every stakeholder toward making the town a hub for local, regional and international conferences.

“We want to apply all possible means including working with all stakeholders to develop the district and make our town an international conference hub after Kigali City,” he says.

Among the improvements he pointed at, include having advanced infrastructure and conference facilities.

He adds: “We are seeing a number of people and companies interested in having conferences in Musanze town.”

According to hotel operators like Elyse Imanizabayo and JMV Tuyisenge, Musanze district receives “all sorts of meetings”.

Imanizabayo works at Home Inn Hotel as a waiter. He says that as the town becomes upgraded and renovated, a need for bigger halls and entertainment facilities will have a significant meaning to the town’s economic development.

At Home Inn, renovations are underway as Velentin Ngabonzima, the hotel manager, says while touring the new facilities under construction.

“We are upgrading our halls to be able to host big events and meetings as well as adding new facilities.” he says.

Meanwhile, JMV Tuyisenge, the owner of Musanze Caves, welcomes the new initiative as plans for having high standards services from his hotel are underway, too.

“We have a lot of things to do since we have enough space, and the town receives a lot of tourists. A  lot of hotels still lack some facilities including children’s sports areas or swimming pools as well as wedding spaces,” he tells Kigali Up.

Innocente Umuhire, is one of the residents of the Muhoza sector, Ruhengeri Cell in Susa Village. She says a need for inspection and mobilization will be vital to ensure that good services are delivered on high standards.

“Even though these hotels and guest houses are being built, service delivery has not been improved,” she says.

One of the biggest conferences hosted in Musanze district by 2022 includes a three-day international business forum dubbed as Kingdom Business Forum held at Centre Pastoral Notre Dame de Fatima, in November 2022.

The business forum, aimed at raising awareness on business starts-ups and investment, brought together over 60 economic experts from South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, United States of America and Rwanda to discuss business opportunities, investments and networking.

Musanze district authorities consider making the town’s vision a center for excellent tourism, with the right infrastructure, facilities, security and to ensure a memorable stay to all visiting the district.