Rwanda and Germany’s FC Bayern Munich, have signed a deal to boost local football and tourism, HeraldNG reports.
The “Visit Rwanda” logo will be displayed at the German team’s 75,000-seater stadium on match days, as part of the five-year deal made for an undisclosed fee.
In Rwanda, up to 30 talented children will benefit from a new FC Bayern youth academy, the government said.
This deal is also a chance for Germany’s top team to “become active on the African continent and gather important experiences”, said Bayern’s chief executive, Jan-Christian Dreesen.
Kigali has similar sponsorship deals with Arsenal, Paris St-Germain and the Basketball Africa League.
Clare Akamanzi, CEO of Rwanda Development Board explained the reasons for the deal in The New Times’ weekly podcast, The Long Form on Sunday.
She said German tourists contribute significantly to Rwanda’s economic prosperity through their substantial spending.
The Bayern Munich partnership not only solidifies relations between the two countries but also stirs greater interest in tourism between Germany and Rwanda. This heightened tourism activity is projected to provide a substantial economic boost.
“Germany ranks among the top 6 sources of tourism for us. The nations we’ve partnered with are all within this top echelon.
“By adding Germany – a market with immense growth potential – to this list, we stand to gain substantially. Moreover, Germans tend to outspend the average tourist per day. This influx of German tourists promises a considerable increase in revenue,” Akamanzi said.