When RwandAir began flying to London 5 or so years in the past, I shared my pleasure and optimism by means of this esteemed publication. I shared how individuals used to traverse many geographical territories to succeed in this stunning land of ours. I wrote how I felt it might open up new alternatives, a brand new marketplace for Rwandan merchandise, new connections, new networking alternatives between Rwandans, the British individuals specifically and Europeans usually.
Lots has occurred since then, within the above talked about areas. RwandAir has opened up Rwanda to the world and related Rwandans to different international residents. It has unlocked commerce between Rwanda and different international locations. It has made extra foreigners-tourists, enterprise individuals and lots of different classes of visitors- go to and know Rwanda, and made Rwandans extra happy with their nation. I’ve been on WB700 and WB701 flights a number of instances and I at all times really feel a way of delight each time I take heed to “Bagenzi bacu bahire……” ( our esteemed travellers) Kinyarwanda bulletins over European skies. RwandAir made it a lot simpler for CHOGM22 delegates to return to Rwanda, and that was the proudest second for all of us.
5 years in the past marked the primary time ever a Rwanda nationwide flag provider related the 2 capitals- Kigali and London. That was a primary!
Now Rwandair has accomplished it once more..broke its personal document.
WB700 and WB701 flights stopped over in Brussels earlier than continuing to London or Kigali. And a few travellers do not like that, for numerous causes i do not wish to delve into right here. And RwandAir will need to have listened to them and located enterprise sense out of their reasoning. Final week it launched WB710 & WB711, a continuous 4-times- a-week flight to London Heathrow airport and again to Kigali.
“The UK is an extremely necessary marketplace for RwandAir…” in keeping with Simon Rickman, RwandAir UK nation Supervisor.
Ross Baker, Heathrow airport’s Chief Business Officer, is quoted as saying ” We’re delighted to see RwandAir develop their operations by launching a brand new continuous route linking London and Kigali by means of Heathrow, the UK’s hub airport”
My British pal and enterprise associate Richard GOLDS calls this a ‘game-changer” for British travellers to Rwanda. “Look mate” he says “enterprise follows a highway of least resistance”.
Let me clarify what this new flight scheduling may imply, with a easy dialog I had with him on Saturday twelfth November 2022 ( 5 days after the primary continuous flight landed at London Heathrow). We have been driving up Nduba hill having fun with the view of Kigali, down under, when this matter got here up. Richard had flown into Kigali within the first week of November on a RwandAir flight by way of Brussels, and was comfortable to be returning to London in 2 weeks’ time on a continuous flight into Heathrow. It felt to me like in Fifties when one British royal travelled to East Africa as a Princess and returned to London because the Queen( RIP).
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So the ex-British hearth serviceman, who has a number of instances confessed to me “I really like this nation to bits” takes a deep breathe, seems on the spectacular view of Kigali down under and says “this might become a game-changer in so some ways”. However he selected to explain a technique.. “UK is sitting on a well being time bomb” he begins.
“Folks within the UK and Europe spend months, pay hundreds of kilos, as much as £30,000 per week in Well being Sanctuaries or dietary holidays, to enhance their well-being, detox, minimize weight, rejuvenate….they might as properly come right here and eat recent greens and fruits, stroll the hills, for per week and obtain excess of they might ever obtain for months in Well being Sanctuaries, at a fraction of the price” …”Rwanda is visa-free for UK residents in spite of everything”.
So over to you my Brit associates and compatriots, get on WB711, take a break off fish & chips, come munch on recent veggie and fruits, stroll up & down one, two or extra of a thousand hills, return house wholesome & rejuvenated. Remember the gorillas up within the Volcano mountains!
The author is Managing Director of MuGOLDS Worldwide & ex-Chairman of UK- Rwandan Diaspora Group.
