Rwanda’s Pleasure – Gorilla Trekking!
Gorillas play an essential role in contributing to the positive image of Rwanda and act as ambassadors on the international scene by raising the profile of the country. These gentle giants also contribute greatly to Rwanda’s tourism industry.
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, bringing in over 20,000 visitors to the country each year.
Rwanda has enthusiastically received thousands of international visitors and appreciates the revenues generated through gorilla tourism. This has enabled the country to earn $80 million from Tourism in half a year, surpassing its $68 million target.
The strong performance was attributed to the increase in tourists visiting the country.
Rwanda experiences unprecedented interest in its primates by wildlife lovers from across the globe. It is home to around one third 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 endangered mountain gorilla still survives in the Virunga Mountains, a mountain chain linking Rwanda to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
In its mid-term evaluation report, the Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) says that a total of 408,482 tourists have been registered so far, which is a 3.4% increase compared to the same period last year.
Tourism is a pillar for rapid economic growth within Rwanda and in many other countries like Uganda. Therefore, there is a need to combine forces and cooperation in the protection and conservation of Natural assets, and communal participation in promoting tourism and its linked conservation issues.…