Opportunity for a different type of tourism

Under “Opportunity for a different type of tourism” BMIL aims to pilot some gross value adding tourism industries (GVATI) including categorizing tourism intensive focus on:
1. Cultural heritage. This will consolidate on the Traditional Drums to inspire a drum-based economy
2. Historical Heritage: “Our common history for our common future” with well-known historical sites such Stanley-Livingston monument between Dr David Livingstone and journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley visited and spent two nights on 25–27 November 1871 in Burundi, Submission of the King to the Colonial Germany, (Treaty of Kiganda by which the King agreed to submit and recognize German authority over his kingdom), etc.
3. Natural Wonders: Burundi has natural sites for touristic attraction. Some of the most well known are the German Falls, Thermal Waters, the Karera Falls, etc.
4. Scientific tourism: Encouraging researchers from various field to come to Burundi for scientific studies,
5. Experience exchange in (i) Management Innovation, (ii) Digital strategy development, (iii) Supply Chain Management, (iv) Micro-Framing, (v) Process of leveraging advanced technologies, (vi) Outsourcing Strategies for developing countries, progress on the SDG, etc.
There are important areas for promoting tourism, including
– Physical security
– Physical infrastructures
– Documented touristic guide
– Effective services in hotel industry and catering, touring, transit services, affordable and effective immigration services including speedy visa process, etc.

Most of these preconditions require policy interventions and human capital development. It is necessary to invest in the elaboration of an introduction to visiting Burundi which provides guidance to main questions for someone envisioning to visit Burundi followed by a detailed description of what should prompt someone to invest in making a first visit to each of the touristic sites.

Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you.

This proposal offers a timely and innovative response to the multifaceted challenges facing Burundi’s tourism and environmental sectors. By integrating drone-based surveillance technologies to support park conservation, the project seeks to mitigate encroachment and poaching, thereby laying the groundwork for more sustainable tourism development. However, to enhance the academic and policy relevance of the proposal, several critical areas require further elaboration and methodological refinement.
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1. Theoretical Framing and Contextual Analysis
The proposal outlines critical socio-political and economic constraints affecting tourism development in Burundi but lacks reference to applicable theoretical frameworks. A deeper engagement with literature on ecotourism in fragile states, environmental security, and digital conservation technologies would provide a scholarly foundation for the intervention. This would also clarify the project’s positioning in the broader discourse on sustainable development and technology deployment in low-capacity settings.
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2. Feasibility Assessment in Low-Infrastructure Environments
Although the project recommends using the JOUAV CW-25 VTOL drone, it currently does not provide a full feasibility analysis accounting for Burundi’s infrastructural and institutional limitations, including power supply, communication networks, and trained personnel. Comparative insights from other countries that have adopted similar technologies in conservation—particularly in resource-constrained environments—would strengthen the project’s empirical credibility.
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3. Theory of Change and Measurable Outcomes
A well-defined theory of change (ToC) is essential to demonstrate how drone-based surveillance will contribute to improved conservation and tourism outcomes. The ToC should map inputs (e.g., drone technology, training), outputs (enhanced monitoring), outcomes (reduced encroachment), and longer-term impacts (biodiversity conservation, increased tourist flow). Without this structure, the relationship between drone use and tourism sector growth remains implied rather than empirically substantiated.
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4. Governance, Institutional Capacity, and Community Engagement
The proposal should explore institutional arrangements and local governance structures that would facilitate the project’s success. This includes clarifying the role of the OBPE, legal and ethical implications of drone surveillance, and potential partnerships with local and regional stakeholders. Moreover, sustainable conservation depends on community engagement, suggesting the need to align this project with participatory approaches and incentives for local populations.
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5. International Comparison: Drone Utilization in Canadian Parks
A comparative case of particular relevance is the application of drone technologies in Canada’s national and provincial parks, where unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been used for:
• Wildlife monitoring: Tracking caribou, grizzly bears, and migratory birds in remote regions of British Columbia, Yukon, and Alberta.
• Environmental surveying: Assessing forest health, glacial retreat, and wetland integrity in protected areas.
• Disaster management: Supporting wildfire surveillance and real-time data acquisition during natural disasters in Banff and Jasper National Parks.
• Tourism management and research: Assisting in visitor flow analysis and evaluating human impact on sensitive ecosystems.
Parks Canada, for example, has piloted drone-based ecological monitoring projects to replace or supplement manned aircraft, reducing costs, improving safety, and enhancing precision. These programs are often paired with geographic information systems (GIS), photogrammetry, and remote sensing technologies to support conservation science.
While the socio-political and infrastructural contexts in Burundi differ markedly, the Canadian example underscores the versatility and value of drone integration in national park management. These cases offer useful methodological insights for implementation, including:
• Establishing clear no-fly zones and privacy protocols
• Training interdisciplinary teams of ecologists, rangers, and drone operators
• Balancing surveillance with public accessibility and trust-building
Leveraging lessons from the Canadian model could help the Burundian authorities and donors build a pilot program with phased technological and institutional scaling, thus ensuring adaptability to local conditions.
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6. Sustainability and Long-Term Capacity Building
Drone programs must be embedded within broader capacity-building efforts. This includes establishing local training centers, collaborating with regional academic institutions, and securing long-term maintenance resources. By framing drone use as a tool within an ecosystem of governance, conservation science, and sustainable tourism, the initiative can move beyond short-term surveillance to foster resilient environmental stewardship.
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Conclusion
The proposed drone-based conservation and tourism enhancement project in Burundi addresses an urgent need but would benefit significantly from a more rigorous academic structure. Drawing upon theoretical frameworks, feasibility analyses, and international best practices—such as those demonstrated in Canada’s national park system—would increase the project’s scholarly value, policy relevance, and practical impact.