Relaxing at a poolside table overlooking Kigali, Rwanda's capital city, Jean de Dieu Mbarushimana, administrative manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines, is gearing up for an influx of business travellers. The hotel's flow of visitors and conferences has been steadily increasing over the past five years, says Mr Mbarushimana, a trend which can only build as the country integrates with its neighbours in the East African Community (EAC), an international organisation comprising Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda.
The Mille Collines, which gained an international - and tragic - reputation as the centrepiece of the Hollywood genocide drama Hotel Rwanda, is about to enter its final phase of renovation, courtesy of a $2.5m loan from the International Finance Corporation. Down the road, the new Serena Hotel has just opened, meaning Mr Mbarushimana's establishment has competition on its hands.