Greg Bakunzi, Red Rock Initiative, Rwanda

Greg Bakunzi, the founder of Red Rocks Cultural Center in Rwanda joined the Board of the African Tourism Board
In February 2019 Rwanda has once again featured on the global tourism and conservation map when Greg Bakunzi, the founder of Red Rocks Cultural Center, stepped in to claim another award during the 10th Tourism Investment and Business Forum for Africa (INVESTOUR) awards. The event was organized jointly by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), FITUR, and Casa Africa.
Greg Bakunzi Statement to ATB Members:
It is with great honor and appreciation that I thank you for this
great opportunity to be a productive part of the African tourism
board, I truly appreciate the courtesy you have extended to me. Thank
you again for your confidence in me. I am looking forward to beginning
my work as a part of your organization. My journey in tourism and
community development spans over 15 years and as a newly appointed
board member of the ATB am excited to bring my expertise and knowledge
to support further implementation of the objectives of the African
Tourism Board.
I started back in 2001 as a tour guide, and eventually founded my
company Amahoro Tours which has grown since back in 2008 I saw my
business growing to a level that I was proud of. After that, in 2011,
I thought I should do something else without giving up Amahoro Tours,
that’s when I came up with Red Rocks Rwanda as a cultural center,
which is which now works with Red Rocks initiative for Sustainable
Development, a non-profit organization operating in Africa working
with individuals and groups to encourage, support, and celebrate more
sustainable actions through creating awareness of Global warming and
also ending the use of plastic seed bags, thus preserving our natural
resources and cultural heritage with the purpose of promoting tourism
and environmental conservation as the leading sustainable community
empowerment tool to uplift the socio-economic status of our members.
Am looking forward to using my capacity as an advocate for responsible
tourism that benefits the surrounding communities and areas through
providing jobs and ensuring that we understand what challenges
communities face and how to overcome them by using their abilities as
a base for finding sustainable solutions
According to a report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the
the travel industry will double in the next 5 years, generating trillions
annually and as part of my personal strategy is to position our
destinations as travelers favorites, by agreeing  with the belief
that prioritizing sustainability in the tourism sector means people
and economies will in general greatly benefit because of globally the
The African continent has much more exciting and abundant natural
attractions to offer travelers.
It is against this background that I will use my platform to encourage
others to fully understand that we need to shape up or change our
mindsets and acknowledge the fact that community and tourism is
beneficial to the development of our travel destinations
As a passionate community development advocate, am pleased to let you
know that Red Rocks has been given international awards for the work
we have been doing. Most recently Red Rocks were selected as one of the
best community tourism organizations in Rwanda by the Chamber of
Tourism. We have been also been awarded by the United Nations as one
of the best tourism initiative organizations in #Africa and Green
Destination Travel has given us a certificate for Best Green
Destination Travel Area.
In my opinion, my biggest achievements are different events and
conferences I have attended around the world. These events show me
that there is actually a lot more to do than what I did. The best part
of the conference is where I pick something and share with other
people in the same industry and my plans are to use Red Rocks in the
future and I want it to be one of the best ecotourism destinations in
the region and on the continent
I understand that this task comes with responsibilities and am glad to
offer my best of effort for the great advancement of tourism
development, and tourism investment in the region
Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to be a part of the African
tourism board and I look forward to the work we have ahead of us
Yours sincerely,
Greg Bakunzi
Red Rocks Initiatives, Musanze, Rwanda