Investigating factors that affect sustainable tourism in the case of Rwanda

Abstract

As the world strives to achieve sustainable development, the importance of taking advantage of opportunities that are already available is balanced with the desire to grow while keeping in mind the future generation. Sustainable tourism is crucial especially for developing countries. This paper analyzed factors affecting sustainable tourism in Rwanda from the citizens’ perspective. By taking into account how factors of sustainable tourism affect quality of life and the view of promotional policy, the following research questions guided the study: 1. How do economic factors affect Rwandans' quality of life? 2. How do social factors influence Rwandans’ quality of life? 3. How do environmental factors affect Rwandans’ quality of life? 4. How do Rwandans perceive the government’s development of policies to improve traveling awareness, promotional policies based on citizens’ opinions, and expanding hospitality facilities such as hotels, accommodation sharing Airbnb, public transportation that meet citizens expectations? 5.What is the Rwandans’ attitude towards better promotional services in tourism to encourage them to travel more often? This study conducted an online survey and data was analyzed by applying factor analysis, ANOVA, and regression analysis for hypothesis testing. The results of this study showed that social, economic and environmental factors do affect quality of life in Rwanda. In addition, promotional policy does affect sustainable tourism and it relates to policy improvement. This paper also provides policy and managerial implications for the government and business owners in the tourism industry in Rwanda.