Four hotels face temporary closure over compliance failures

The affected establishments are Century Park Hotel and Residences in Kigali’s Nyarutarama suburb, Dove Luxury Hotel in Gicumbi District, Highland Resort Ltd in Rulindo District and Nengo Eden Park Hotel in Rubavu District.

In a statement issued June 4, RDB said the closures followed compliance inspections that identified deficiencies in several operational areas, including business licensing, hygiene, food safety, overall security and service quality.

“The temporary closure of the hotels is intended to provide them with time to address the operational shortcomings identified during inspections,” the agency said.

RDB ordered the four hotels to halt all hospitality and tourism-related activities while the suspension remains in effect. The establishments will be permitted to reopen only after demonstrating that the identified issues have been corrected and after undergoing verification by the relevant authorities.

The agency also urged all hospitality businesses across the country to comply fully with regulations governing tourism operations, sanitation, safety, food quality and customer service.

RDB said adherence to these standards is critical to protecting guests, employees and the public, while safeguarding the quality and reputation of Rwanda’s tourism and hospitality industry.

The suspensions come as Rwanda’s tourism sector continues to expand, driven by investment in hospitality infrastructure and the country’s growing profile as a destination for international conferences and leisure travel.

According to RDB, tourism generated $685 million in revenue in 2025, supported by nearly 1.49 million visitors to the East African nation.

Data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda shows the country had 1,460 hotels with 25,330 rooms in 2024, up from 669 hotels with 13,802 rooms in 2018, reflecting steady growth in accommodation capacity over the past several years.