How Türkiye is helping Rwanda court the Mediterranean's 300 million tourists

When Rwanda set up its stand at the Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition (EMITT) in Istanbul earlier this year, the country had its sights on something specific: a share of the 300 million tourists who pass through the eastern Mediterranean every year.

"The East Mediterranean region, taken as a single tourism area, is one of the biggest globally," Charles Kayonga, Rwanda's ambassador to Türkiye, tells TRT Afrika. "It attracts about 300 million tourists annually out of more than 900 million worldwide. For Rwanda, which is positioning itself as a tourism hub, this market is strategically important."

That ambition rests on three pillars: wildlife and biodiversity, headlined by the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park; a rapidly expanding meetings and conventions sector, and a reputation as one of Africa's safest countries for visitors.

Kayonga describes Rwanda as "abounding in tourism potential", citing sustained public investment in hospitality and conference infrastructure alongside what he calls a steadily improving service culture.

None of it works without air links and infrastructure, which is where Türkiye's role as one of the country's long-standing development partners has been crucial.

Turkish Airlines operates multiple weekly flights to Kigali, routing Rwanda into Istanbul's vast hub and connecting it to Europe, Asia and the wider Mediterranean. For business travellers, conference delegates and leisure tourists, the difficulties associated with getting to a landlocked East African country has shrunk considerably.

The aviation link sits within a broader framework of roughly 30 memoranda of understanding between the two governments, with tourism cooperation among the most prominent.

"The environment is good and so is the relationship," says Kayonga.

Gorilla diplomacy

Rwanda's most distinctive piece of tourism branding is Kwita Izina, the annual ceremony near Volcanoes National Park in which newborn mountain gorillas are given names.

The practice draws on Rwandan tradition, where families gather to name newborns. "Gorilla naming is an extension of Rwandan culture," Kayonga tells TRT Afrika. "It serves both to conserve these endangered species and to attract people, because visitors come to know these gorillas through the event."

The ceremony has grown into something larger than its origins. Once critically endangered, Rwanda's mountain gorilla population has recovered through sustained conservation policies, anti-poaching operations and programmes that steer former poachers into alternative livelihoods.

Kwita Izina now draws conservationists, policymakers and high-profile guests from around the world, functioning as both a conservation milestone and a global marketing platform for Rwanda's eco-tourism brand.

Concrete foundations

Kigali's push to become Africa's leading conference destination is backed by physical infrastructure, some of it built with Turkish collaboration. Kayonga points to Amahoro Stadium and the Radisson Blu Hotel as venues already hosting conferences and major gatherings.

The country hosted the UCI Road World Championships – the first time the global cycling event was held on African soil – recently, giving visitors a glimpse of its expansive road network and logistical capacity.

"Africa has a lot of potential," says Kayonga. "Wish we could develop this potential through partnerships like we have between Rwanda and Türkiye."

With roughly 70% of its population under 35, Rwanda has also positioned itself as a continental hub for youth summits, innovation forums and international sporting events.

Türkiye's contribution comes through scholarships, skills development and technology-focused education programmes.

"This is the major investment of our country," says Kayonga of Rwanda's young population. "Cooperation, including access to scholarships and skills development, allows our young people to access the potential they need to advance themselves and develop our countries."

Presidential anchor

The diplomatic scaffolding beneath all of this is personal. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have built their relationship through repeated meetings and reciprocal visits over several years.

Kayonga is unequivocal about the importance of a personal rapport between the leaders.

"We can't have a deep relationship without strong leadership," he says. "President Kagame and President Erdoğan have cemented theirs."

That presidential rapport has translated into structured agreements, commercial partnerships and growing people-to-people exchanges.

Kayonga himself has travelled widely across Türkiye. "I like this country very much. It is beautiful and has a rich history. You travel and find historical relics and evidence of a rich culture," he says.

For Rwanda, the strategic logic is clear. A small, landlocked African nation with big ambitions needs partners who bring connectivity, investment and diplomatic weight.

Türkiye, with its Istanbul hub, its construction expertise and it's win-win policy in expanding influence across Africa, fits the brief. Whether the 300 million tourists of the eastern Mediterranean will start booking gorilla treks remains to be seen.

But the runway, at least, has been built.