EM Template - Africa
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| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Publication date: Nov-08 |
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Diversity away from Gorillas
Gorillas play an essential role in contributing to Rwanda’s travel and tourism industry, which is ranked third in terms of the country’s foreign currency generation. Rwanda is home to around two thirds of the 700 mountain gorillas left in the world, and, for several decades now, the country has been at the forefront of gorilla conservation. The industry is a fundamental engine for the growth of the national economy and is driven by the mountain gorillas which have been, and remain, the main attraction in Rwanda, brining in more than 25,000 visitors to the country each year.
However, in order to remain competitive in the fast growing travel and tourism industry, the country has been shifting from its over-reliance on gorillas. Rwanda’s landscape consists of low-lying plains, rivers and lakes, raised hills and high-peaked mountains scattered throughout the country. Due to the ever-changing altitude, the national parks boast diversity in terms of birds, wildlife, aquatic animals and reptiles living in the savannah, swamps, lakes, rivers, forest and mountain vegetation. All of these have enabled Rwanda to increase tourist figures, boost revenue and cope better with the seasonal nature of the industry.
Top African Exhibitor at ITB-Berlin 2007
Rwanda was the top exhibitor among African countries at the Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB-Berlin) held in Germany in March 2007. The annual event is amongst the world’s leading trade shows for the travel and tourism industry. Rwanda’s top exhibitor position, which was decided by the ITB’s organisers, is a statement of its success as one of the world’s finest ecotourism destinations.
Through a continued presence at such major exhibitions, Rwanda is able to exchange vital information about tourists’ views of the country, promote available tourism packages, and find out what tourists love about Rwanda. It can also work out where improvements need to be made and persuade travellers to visit Rwanda. The results of its presence at events like ITB-Berlin are overwhelming.
Wild Fires in the Country’s National Parks
Every year, hectares of land are being destroyed by wild fire, especially in the Akagera National Park area, where poachers are the main suspects. Akagera is a beautiful game reserve that protects a savannah landscape. The park has fully-grown vegetation, which helps the fires spread to a wide area. Despite having helicopters and fire extinguishers, park officials are still short of equipment and personnel. The Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks has been seeking stronger measures to curb the problem. Among the options being considered is increasing the number of patrols in the park to keep intruders away.
Prominent Figures Hit the Road to Rwanda
Rwanda has, in recent years, attracted high-profile individuals due to its many tourist attractions. After Bill Clinton in 2005, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates and his family went on holiday to Rwanda in 2006, where they named a baby gorilla Keza (Cute One) after visiting the habitat of the Sabyinyo Group of Mountain Gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park.
Visits by prominent figures such as Bill Clinton and Bill Gates have built confidence and encouraged more visitors to travel to Rwanda, since a lot of research on safety is done before such high-profile visits are made. This no doubt contributes to a rise in the number of tourists who visit Rwanda and thus boosts the travel and tourism industry as a whole.
