Rwanda has continued to see a phenomenal increase in the number of tourists visiting the Country especially due to the attraction of the mountain gorillas.
The Rwanda Development Board has increased the gorilla permit fees from $500 to $750 as a result of the increased number of tourists who come to see gorillas in Rwanda.
Some of the locals in the areas around Volcanoes national Park are excited about the increment in the number of mountain gorilla safari permits. According to some the local communities will see an increase in the amount of money received from the revenue sharing programs. The Rwanda tourism body ensures that money from gorilla tracking is shared with the communities around Volcanoes national park as with other tour attractions in the Country.
Rwanda mountain gorillas are a must-see for any tourist visiting Rwanda, and fetches the Country millions of dollars annually.
“Additional tourism revenue would lead to increased share that is given to park communities. We’re expecting an enormous increase in community projects.” According to a local from one of the districts, around Volcanoes national park.
He further stated that “We have several projects which need financing and the more returns from the country’s tourism the better.”
The 50% increase in the Rwanda gorilla permits announced in January cuts across board meaning non-resident foreigners will be paying $750 dollars from the initial $500, resident foreigners will be paying $350 dollars and the residents will also see an increase in the amount paid to $50 from the initial $33 for gorilla tour in Rwanda.
According to the Rwanda Development Board the increment in gorilla tour fees was because the low permit fees threaten the conservation of the mountain gorillas as the number of tourists too high for gorilla safari given their numbers
However, according to the RDB, the new changes will not affect the price of gorilla permits being bought now and 1st June 2012.
According to John Gara, the Chief Executive Office – CEO of the Rwanda Development board the increment in gorilla tours prices, coincides with the increase in the gorilla tourism as well as the rapid increase of the mountain gorilla population which has been about 3.7% for the last couple of years.
According to Gara, the number of visitors doing gorilla safaris increased between January and March 2011 by about 5 percent with an average number of 61 gorilla safari visits in a day.
Rwanda gorilla tourism fetched $251 million last year, whereas in 2010 there was a 14 percent increase from the previous year with the Country earning $200 million.
Rwanda has now tried to diversify and benefit from the popular mountain gorilla safari by introducing new packages such as the the canopy walk at Nyungwe forest national park.
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