United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)’s theme for 2017 is sustainable tourism, a subject not so new in Rwanda. The country’s conservation journey began more than a decade ago and has since progressed enormously. Mountain gorillas make Rwanda a top tourist destination. / File United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)’s theme for 2017 is sustainable tourism, a subject not so new in Rwanda. The country’s conservation journey began more than a decade ago and has since progressed enormously. Although small geographically, Rwanda is known for addressing large-scale challenges in conservation. For instance, Rwanda has recently become one of the three East African countries that offer tourists a ‘Big 5’ experience, having reintroduced both lions and eastern black rhinoceros into Akagera National Park. Such bold measures have undoubtedly positioned Rwanda throughout the world as a role model in conservation within Africa. However, despite Rwanda’s conservation successes, the country’s leadership acknowledges the constant need to improve its best practice standards. Ahead of this year’s Kwita Izina, Rwanda’s flagship event celebrating with the community and the world at large the successful preservation of our endangered mountain gorilla population through the naming of new-born baby gorillas, new tariffs have been announced for mountain gorilla trekking activities, a milestone within the global tourism industry. The primary objective of these revised tariffs is to ensure the long-term sustainability of a fragile species in a world that is increasingly challenged in protecting bio-diversity and natural assets for future generations. “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,” said Dr. Tara Stoinski, President and CEO of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, which has been working in Rwanda for fifty years. “With the growth in the gorilla population, we
United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)’s theme for 2017 is sustainable tourism, a subject not so new in Rwanda. The country’s conservation journey began more than a decade ago and has since progressed enormously. Mountain gorillas make Rwanda a top tourist destination. / File United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)’s theme for 2017 is sustainable
