Visit Rwanda renews long-term partnership with Paris Saint-Germain
Visit Rwanda – supported by ELLVEE – has renewed its partnership with Paris Saint-Germain through to the end of the 2027/2028 season.
French League 1 champions and Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain has been showcasing ‘Visit Rwanda’ on its team training and warm-up kit since 2019, with several other advertising elements featuring prominently as part of the deal, including branding inside and around the Parc des Princes, joint digital content, fan engagement campaigns, and matchday initiatives, including the annual ‘Rwanda Heritage’ game.
At the heart of the collaboration is Visit Rwanda’s goal to present the country as a “premier travel and cultural destination” to the world, and to showcase Rwanda’s natural beauty, cultural richness, nature, and warmth.
Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (which leads the ‘Visit Rwanda’ initiative) said: “This partnership has contributed significantly to positioning Rwanda as a leading destination for tourism and investment – and a beacon for talent, sports, and cultural innovation. Renewing through 2028 allows us to build on that success and create even more impact for Rwandans and the global Paris Saint-Germain community.”
Michaella Rugwizangoga, Chief Tourism Officer of the Rwanda Development Board, added: “Paris Saint-Germain provides us with an amazing platform to present the very best of Rwanda to millions of fans around the world. We are delighted to be able to continue our partnership and to do even more things together.”
Yet there is more to the partnership between Visit Rwanda and Paris Saint-Germain than just promoting Rwanda as a destination, emphasized Rugwizangoga. “It aims to create synergies in culture, fashion, the arts, and football development, which is very important to us.”
As part of their shared commitment to youth, Paris Saint-Germain launched an Academy in Rwanda in 2020, offering training sessions and even education to children. Since its inception, over 400 young Rwandans have received support, and the renewed partnership sees further focus being placed on sports developmental programs in Rwanda improving playing standards, coaching standards and infrastructure.
Greater visibility
The renewed partnership, on which ELLVEE advised the Rwanda Development Board, is expected to provide Visit Rwanda with greater visibility, engagement and storytelling opportunities.
In an attempt to support efforts to drive tourism conversion from the USA – Rwanda’s number one tourist market outside of Africa – the Visit Rwanda logo will also appear on the sleeve of the Paris Saint-Germain men’s team jersey at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025, to be played in a few weeks in the United States.
Additionally, the Rwanda Development Board has secured activation opportunities with PSG and player access during the competition, and it will be launching in Los Angeles its main sponsorship of all of PSG’s US and Canada-based academy teams and camps.
The renewal deal
Serving as strategic and commercial advisor, ELLVEE initially supported Visit Rwanda with the development of its global sports sponsorship strategy, and then advised the Rwanda Development Board across the full renewal process, from the assessment of the partnership against strategic objectives, right through to structuring, negotiating and concluding the final set of commercial terms.
Commenting on the project, ELLVEE’s Managing Director, Iain Higgins, stated: “We are very proud to have supported the Rwanda Development Board on the renewal of the Paris Saint-Germain partnership – a deal that goes far beyond a sponsorship renegotiation. It was about reshaping narrative, doubling down on impact, and finding new ways to turn a global platform into a meaningful tourism, trade, and brand story for Rwanda.”
“As global sponsorships continue to evolve, this renewal (and other work that we are supporting Visit Rwanda on) is a testament to how strategic partnerships in sport, when structured correctly, can help to build national brand equity, drive inbound tourism, and unlock long-term value.”
Paris Saint-Germain
For Paris Saint-Germain, the sponsorship deal sits alongside its flagship shirt sponsor deal with Qatar Airways, which is worth around €70 million per year until 2028.
Commenting on the Visit Rwanda partnership, Victoriano Melero, CEO of Paris Saint-Germain, said: “We are looking forward to continuing this journey with Visit Rwanda. Together, we help showcase the cultural richness and natural beauty of Rwanda, while demonstrating that football can inspire and bring communities around the world closer together.”
