Rwanda residents travelling to Europe by air spent an estimated $26 million, about 7.4 times the amount spent during the same period a year earlier, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).
The total for the second quarter of 2026 was up from $3.5 million in the same quarter of 2025. The increase amounted to $22.5 million, equivalent to approximately 643%.
Spending also rose sharply from the $3.9 million recorded in the first quarter of 2026.
NISR’s Travel Expenditure Survey placed Europe ahead of all other destinations in spending by Rwanda residents travelling abroad by air during the second quarter.
Their spending worldwide totalled $76.2 million. Europe accounted for $26 million, followed by Asia at $17.3 million, East African Community (EAC) countries at $13.1 million, North America at $10.3 million and other African countries at $9.1 million.
The estimates covered expenses in the countries visited, including accommodation, food and drinks, local transport, shopping, entertainment, education, healthcare and other services. International transport costs were excluded.
The amount was not calculated by collecting travellers receipts or examining transactions in their bank accounts.
NISR estimated spending by combining the number of Rwanda residents returning from abroad, provided by the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE), with their average length of stay and average daily expenditure.
During the second quarter of 2026, 12,669 Rwanda residents returned from Europe by air. Of these, 5,330 had travelled for business or work, 4,735 to visit friends and relatives, 1,859 for holidays, 708 for education and 37 for health reasons.
Business travellers stayed for an average of 11 days and spent $127 per day. Those travelling for education stayed for an average of 238 days and spent $48 daily, while health-related trips lasted an average of 22 days, with daily spending of $106.
Holidaymakers stayed for an average of 16 days and spent $130 per day. Those visiting friends and relatives stayed for 17 days on average and spent $78 daily.
Multiplying the number of travellers by their average stay and daily spending gives an estimated $7.45 million for business trips to Europe. For the 708 people who travelled for education, the calculation produces approximately $8.09 million.
Health-related travel accounted for about $86,000, holidays for $3.87 million, and visits to friends and relatives for $6.28 million.
Together, these calculations produce approximately $25.8 million, or about $26 million when rounded to the nearest million.
Across all overseas destinations reached by air, business and work trips accounted for the largest amount spent by Rwanda residents, at $32.8 million.
Education related travel accounted for $17.6 million, visits to friends and relatives for $14.6 million, holidays for $8.5 million and health-related trips for $2.7 million.
These totals covered travel worldwide, not Europe alone. The report did not identify the reason for the sharp increase in spending in Europe.
Asia also recorded a substantial increase. Spending by Rwandan residents travelling there by air rose from $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2025 to $17.3 million in the same quarter of 2026.
Spending in EAC countries moved in the opposite direction, falling from $47.4 million to $13.1 million over the same period.
The survey was conducted between May and July 2026 and collected information on how long travellers had stayed abroad and how much they spent each day.
Including both air travel and journeys through land borders, Rwanda residents spent $99.7 million abroad in the second quarter of 2026, compared with $98.1 million in the first quarter.
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