History of Tourism in Rwanda.

History of Tourism in Rwanda.

Rwanda is country that used to be situated in Central Africa and now joined East Africa among the rest of the common wealth countries. According to the research from the tourist board of Rwanda which is RDB (Rwanda Development Board) suggests that ‘’Rwanda is popularly known as ‘the land of a thousand hills’ because of its many tourist attractions. The landscapes in this green country are truly incredible. A lot of people who had the chance to visit Rwanda have remarked the country as unique on the African continent.  Rwanda is a small East African country that draws visitors from all over the world, primarily to see its rare mountain gorillas. Rwanda faced a horrible genocide in 1994 which still has not been forgotten, the memorial museum in Kigali is a “must-see”.

Rwanda has shown strong responsibility in order to promote the tourism sector; the government developed a clear tourism master plan strategy which will help to market the destination successfully, they also involved the private sectors in the policy and in general improved the country’s business environment. The key factors and their role were to ensure that tourism becomes the main source of income/economy towards the government.

                                                   
 Rwanda after Genocide

The success of tourism in Rwanda.

Tourism is one of the key factors in the whole of the country’s economy but like other sectors, tourism was affected by the genocide 1994 but it is starting to experience a explosion due to the government’s new approach to work together with neighboring countries which has an impact on the locals and the government.

Rwanda and Uganda are the only two countries in the world where mountain gorillas can be visited safely at the moment. In 2008, about 17,000 people visited the Volcanoes National Park (VNP) to see the gorillas, a large increase from the late 1980s and an impressive recovery from only 417 tourists in 1999 after the reopening of the park.

Rwanda has also seen gorilla tourism as a valuable conservation tool, enforcing strict rules for the habituation and trekking of gorilla families. Tourists are willing to pay high fees for a limited number of permits, which are usually sold out.  

The revenues from gorilla tourism provide funds to the national parks and facilitate conservation activities. Five percent of park revenues are disbursed for community projects.

Rwanda is, however, also known for its violent past, which has dominated the image of the country for several years. The international perception of Rwanda, however, has changed and at present the country is considered one of the safest destinations in the region.  Besides the VNP, Rwanda has two other national parks that offer, for example, a range of wildlife and biodiversity. Furthermore, the country has been particularly successful in attracting large numbers of business and conference