Rwanda has slashed gorilla permits by between 60 percent and 80 percent as the government endeavours to revive the tourism sector adversely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Domestic tourism and international tourism for visitors travelling with charter flights (individuals and groups) will resume.
In order to cushion tour companies, government has waived pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) tax, until December, for employees operating in the tourism and hospitality sector earning up to Rwf150,000 ($160) as net salary.
Rwanda had all but given up on domestic tourism when gorilla permits were doubled to $1,400 to focus on high-end foreign tourists, with officials justifying the raise by pointing to the critically insignificant number of domestic tourists.
But under the national economic recovery plan developed last month, boosting domestic tourism is cited as a key strategy that can help to ease the long pandemic recovery period.
