(DTIS) Update, Volume 1 – Main report - Enhanced Integrated ...

durable improvements in terms of stability and security will be required for Burundi to beconsidered a safe tourism destination. The PRSP II recognizes this necessity to strengthen securityin order to socio-economic development in general, and tourism growth in particular. Promisingly,there are early signs that Burundi can improve its image: for example, Burundi received the awardfor “Best African exhibitor” at the leading international tourism fair ITB-Berlin in 2011 (an awardearned three times by Rwanda between 2007 and 2009) 123 . During the 2012 edition, Burundi wonthis prize again, and was also recognized as best exhibitor out of the 180 countries represented 124 .This could significantly enhance Burundi’s visibility as a tourism destination among sectorprofessionals. While tourism would clearly benefit from countrywide improvements in terms ofstability and security in the future, one potential measure to improve tourists’ real and perceivedsafety in the short run could be the establishment of dedicated police units, trained in tourismsector sensitivities (World Bank 2011a). In the short run, and until stability is sustained, it appearsthat Burundi will have to continue relying on a smaller clientele of regional business travelers andemployees of international/non-governmental organizations. This is not negligible: a vast majorityof tourists in Rwanda arrive for business/conference, to visit relatives or are in transit, and theshare of tourists arriving in Rwanda for vacation is still small (6 percent in 2008) (Nielsen andSpenceley 2011). In the longer run, the development of Burundi as a tourism destination couldalso improve the country’s image more generally and enhance investors’ confidence.o Improving access. In particular, it appears that scope exists for more proactive policy action todevelop aerial connections between Burundi, source markets and other regional tourismdestinations. A recent study of air transport in Africa determined that the level of competition at aparticular airport and on a particular route is by far the strongest driver of airline tariffs (SH&E2010). Efforts should therefore aim at increasing the supply of air service to Burundi, notablyconcerning:- air safety and airport operations: lack of compliance with ICAO requirements currentlymake it difficult for Burundi to attract major international airlines, and progress is requiredconcerning the respect of international civil aviation standards and the operations ofBujumbura international airport (see the specific recommendations in AfDB (2009));- air access liberalization: only eleven of the 18 bilateral air services agreements (BASAs) 125signed by Burundi are or have been exploited since their signature, and none givestransporters the “fifth freedom” 126 (TradeCom 2011). Moreover, the bilateral agreementsystem, developed in the framework of the Chicago Convention, has been deemed too rigidand an obstacle to the growth of newer airlines (SH&E 2010). In other LDCs, “open skies”policies have eased access to the main tourism sites, such as, for example, Siem Reap inCambodia (UNDP 2011). While the regional initiatives undertaken at the COMESA and EAClevels to liberalize air transport have not been fully implemented so far (Schlumberger 2010),these communities and the SADC recently restated their intention to progress on this agendaand to implement the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) through a multilateral air serviceagreement (MASA) at the Tripartite level.However, it seems clear that increasing the number of commercial flights serving Burundi willprove difficult as long as demand remains low due to the limited visibility and offering of tourism123 www.burundi-gov.bi/Burundi-Culture-The-Best-exhibitor124 www.burunditourisme.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101&Itemid=112&lang=en125 Belgium, Cameroon, Congo, DRC, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Kenya, Romania, Russia,Rwanda, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.126 Following the definition given by the ICAO, this is “the right or privilege, in respect of scheduled internationalair services, granted by one State to another State to put down and to take on, in the territory of the first State,traffic coming from or destined to a third State”143 / 153