Burundi, long celebrated for its national parks, lakeside scenery, and vibrant culture, is increasingly exploring a less conventional avenue of tourism: international conferences.
Once overlooked, conference tourism—one of Africa’s most lucrative travel sectors—could offer the country a transformative boost in foreign revenue, job creation, and global visibility.
Franck Arnaud Ndorukwigira, a Burundian journalist, recounts a revelatory experience at the Africa Liberty Forum 2025 in Kenya.
“Behind all the hustle and bustle, I discovered that a conference is much more than an exchange of ideas; it’s a form of tourism,” he wrote. Visitors not only attend meetings but inject money into the host economy through hotels, transport, meals, tours, and souvenirs.
Hotels hire additional staff, taxis shuttle delegates, and restaurants and bars flourish—creating a ripple effect of economic benefits.
The potential, Ndorukwigira argues, is enormous.
“The host country literally gorges itself,” he noted, describing conferences as veritable cash machines that stimulate infrastructure, create jobs, and enhance a nation’s international profile.
Yet Burundi has yet to capitalise on this opportunity, lagging behind regional neighbours like Rwanda, which hosted 32 international conferences in 2023, and Kenya with 21 events.
Experts stress that to succeed, Burundi must meet rigorous international standards. Secure venues, reliable electricity, high-speed internet, spacious conference rooms, and exemplary hotel service are prerequisites.
“Because if the first organizer spots a dead outlet or unreliable Wi-Fi, slow service, or rooms with poor hygiene, the rumor will spread faster than a controversial tweet, and goodbye to foreign currency,” Ndorukwigira quoted his hosts.
Authorities and local associations also play a crucial role.
Active engagement by senior officials in African and UN organizations, combined with proactive networking by well-connected associations, is essential to attract events. Negotiation, diplomacy, and persistence—akin to a startup seeking investment—are vital to succeed in the competitive conference market.
As Burundi strengthens its political stability and pursues macroeconomic reforms, the timing appears ripe. By investing strategically in conference tourism, the country could transform a largely untapped sector into a sustainable engine of economic growth, diversifying its tourism offerings while cementing its position on the regional and international stage.
The question remains: will Burundi seize this sleeping goldmine before neighbouring nations consolidate their advantage?
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