DRC: Tourism opportunities at the centre of a discussion in Kinshasa

Kinshasa, May 21^st, 2025 (CPA) – The importance and opportunities offered by the tourism sector to economic operators in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were the focus of an exchange on Wednesday in Kinshasa between the responsible minister and members of the Federation of Congo Companies (FEC). ‘This is a meeting with the private sector not only to discuss the World Music Festival and tourism, but also to talk about the importance and opportunities that the tourism sector offers to economic operators’, has said Didier Mpambia Musanga, Minister in charge of Tourism. Minister Didier Mpambia made it clear that it was necessary to have this meeting with the owners of hotels, restaurants and cafés, as well as travel agencies and transport companies. ‘Tourism is a sector that has been neglected until now, but with the vision of the Head of State to make this sector an economic diversification and that of the Prime Minister, who in her vision believes very much in public-private partnerships, this will enable our local industry to find business opportunities and develop new avenues in this sector’, he has said. ‘When we talk about tourism, people tend to think of foreigners coming to visit, whereas there is also enormous potential at local level, and we need to find suitable products and services for this potential’, he has explained.  According to the Minister in charge of Tourism, the ecosystem of the tourist villages, in particular accommodation, restaurants, schools and training centres, transport, post and telecoms, malls, art markets, the police and agricultural cooperatives, are all points that can be both obstacles and opportunities for business. ‘Tourism aims to be a showcase that will help build a positive image for the Democratic Republic of Congo,’ he has said. This festival is an event that stems from the vision of the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, to put the DRC back on the world tourism map and to make tourism one of the key sectors for economic diversification. As part of the World Music and Tourism Festival scheduled for July 16^th to 18^th 2025 in Kinshasa, the Ministry in charge of Tourism and UN Tourism are joining forces to promote the Congolese cultural heritage through this event.