Tourism in Rwanda has not only caught the attention of East Africa but of the international community as well. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is a body that represents the travel and tourism private sector globally. This organization carried out an intensive research on the contribution of travel and tourism to the GDP and employment sectors in Rwanda. The WTTC shares that the contribution of tourism to GDP in 2017 was Rwanda Francs (RWF) 383 billion and expected to rise to RWF 404.8 billion which is 5.7% rise.
With the attention from the international and regional tourists, the local people of Rwanda have been able to benefit from this as proven by the numbers shown by the WTTC and early statements by Nielsen and Spenceley (2010). Journalist Joseph Ondiek, traveled to the Northern province of Rwanda to the district of Musanze, Ruhengeri which is home to the mountain gorillas. He spoke to the residents of that district to get an understanding of how life is in this tourist destination. One of the managing directors of a tour agency mentioned that when they started, only four hotels were available but the number has tripled over the years in the district.
The addition of such hotels have given the local people jobs such as in construction of the hotels, customer and transportation services. In addition, the district has encouraged local citizens to become entrepreneurs. The locals have been making cultural outfits and handcrafts that have been selling well with tourists who visit. The district of Musanze is now being considered second in the country behind Kigali when it pertains to modern infrastructure and scenery.
Furthermore, Rwanda’s leading newspaper the New Times, mentions how the country has not only focused on gorilla attractions but positioning the itself to provide the ‘big 5 experience. The ‘big 5’ experience according to adventures in Africa is “five animals that were considered the most difficult and dangerous to hunt while on foot.” These animals are: lions, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes. This has boosted the county’s stamina to compete against top tourist competitors in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The New Times also reports that President of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund said that “Rwanda’s mountain gorillas are the best studied gorillas in the world. And the decades of data accumulated on them continue to provide crucial insights into their conservation needs.” Therefore, the government of Rwanda has prioritized the ‘big 5’ experience along with the gorillas to further the economic development.
Major concerns to Rwanda Tourism
On the other hand, while the authors above have agreed with Nielsen and Spenceley (2010) tourism success in Rwanda, there have been concerns when it comes to animal conservation in Rwanda. These concerns include: high population, poaching and rise in tourism costs.
Fitzgerald (2018) sheds light on an issue that Rwanda is facing as the gorilla population rises. She poses a crucial question about whether Rwanda is able to sustain the growth of these species in the Virunga Mountains. Rwanda has a population of 12 million according to the World Bank data at a size of 10,169 mi²; the nation is 26 times smaller than Texas. Rwanda being densely populated faces a task of making sure animal conversation remains intact and at the same time providing shelter for its citizens.
On the bright side, Fitzgerald (2018) shares how the African Wildlife Foundation purchased 27.8 hectares around the volcanoes national park and donated it to the government of Rwanda. This non-profit organization prides itself on protecting endangered and important landscapes in Africa. This donation will help Rwanda manage the rising population of gorillas and create a separation from the general population.
In addition, another concern that Rwanda faces is poaching. The Encyclopedia of Earth defines poaching as “the illegal hunting, killing or capturing of animals, a practice that occurs in a variety of ways. Poaching can refer to the failure to comply with regulations for legal harvest, resulting in the illegal taking of wildlife that would otherwise be allowable.” Volcanoes Park organization in Rwanda shares three main reasons why people would commit to this crime. These reasons are: Market for gorilla meat, private collection and selling body parts.
- Gorilla meat market: Gorilla meat is eaten in East and Central Africa. This meat is rare and therefore will come at a heavy price for the sellers. The high demand and price for gorilla meat encourages poachers in the region. This meat has also found a way to reach markets in Europe. Most of these poachers are people that may not have jobs and turn to poaching as a means of survival.
- Private collection: Some people in the country kill gorillas to boast about it because they are the most feared in the region. After killing them, they keep the body parts as proof of their achievements.
- Selling the body parts: Apart from selling the meat, poachers also sell gorilla body parts for income. This region is also known for the belief in traditional healers and witchcraft. People who practice such beliefs tend to buy gorilla parts and are seen as a cure to incurable diseases by modern medicine.
In addition to the concerns above, another major problem are the rebels or militia in this region. The great lakes region has always been home to numerous militias that seek refuge in the forests and volcanoes. Rwanda shares the Virunga Mountains with the Democratic Republic of Congo that has been an unstable country over the past decades. Jani Actman, a national geographic journalist shares how the park rangers are constantly in between life threatening situations. The Virunga director, Emmanuel de Merode, mentions that 16 staff members have been killed in the past 12 months by local rebels. The director says the rebels use this area as means to financial gains through extraction of natural resources which was estimated at $170 million in 2017. Therefore, if these mountains are a source of revenue for the militias, gorillas will always face a threat until this problem is solved.
Equally important, another concern that has recently taken flight is the rise in visiting costs. Some people have complained about them locally and internationally. The Rwandan government has raised prices for both local and international visitors. As shown on the Rwandan development board (RDB) website, the price for visiting gorillas per person is at $1500 since 2017. Prices for exclusive visits, special discount packages and filming are on the website.
Author Leah Feiger shares how before the increase in prices, the previous pass permits were $750 for foreign visitors and $35 for Rwandan citizens. She accounts this increase to the addition of several luxurious hotels around the country. Feiger interviewed a tour operator in the country who shared his dissatisfaction to the recent price change and how that will affect his clientele. His main concern was that it is now cheaper for tourists to go to Uganda or Congo because Rwanda is on a luxurious shift.
Likewise, several companies have also started opening offices in Uganda. One managing director mentioned how due to rising prices, clientele booking has gone down and decided to offer services in Uganda whose prices are around $600 individual permit pass.
Conclusion
It is without a doubt that tourism and animal conservation in Rwanda has helped boost the economy and act as the main source of revenue for the country’s budget. This paper intended to study Nielsen and Spenceley (2010) research on the success story of tourism in Rwanda after the 1994 Tutsi genocide. The authors detailed the benefits of tourism in Rwanda and the challenges that remain.
This paper also studied different authors that agreed with the success of tourism Rwanda has achieved to redefine the country. Such benefits include job creation, infrastructure development and international exports. Besides the benefits, major concerns were brought up by various authors and organizations, such as poaching and rise in gorilla trekking prices. Poaching is a big threat to the gorillas and animal conservation that is seriously taken by the government of Rwanda. The government will not tolerate illegal activities that can harm the country’s main sources of revenue. The rise in gorilla trekking was surely a major concern by the visitors but the government of Rwanda insured its citizens that it was the right decision for the country in the long run.
In conclusion, tourism has helped Rwanda reshape its image after the atrocities of 1994. Rwanda today can be known for various contributions to the world economy and not just be popular due to the genocide. Tourism contribution to Rwanda’s GDP as stated by the World Travel and Tourism Council is expected to rise to 404.8 billion in 2018 which is a 5.7% rise from 5.2% in 2017. These numbers are just proof that the country has capitalized on its resources and positioning its self as a regional main attraction and travel destination.
