Uganda safari lodges and Rwanda safari lodges have become the most important tourism features of their respective countries. For the people of Rwanda and Uganda, gorilla safaris have become hugely important as they provide wealth for their villages whilst maintaining the rainforest and further clamping down on illegal poaching.
Calculating the value of gorilla safaris and eco-tourism is not a straightforward exercise. However as eco-tourism grows in places such as Rwanda and Uganda it has become important to understand the value in order to further grow the industry.
The President of Rwanda recently stated in his State-of-the-Nation speech that in 2010 the country earned $200 million with 666,000 tourists visiting. This was a 14% increase on the previous year and the biggest attraction were the mountain gorillas found in the Volcanoes National Park and the Virunga National Park. This helped contribute to Rwanda’s economy growing by 7.4%.
The luxury safari lodges which are also highly eco-friendly give tourists the opportunity to see spectacular wildlife without damaging their environment. Eco-tourism offers a sustainable solution to people who live in the villages around Volcanoes National Park and the Virunga National Park.
Income from the gorilla safari holidays is going to make a big difference to people and their quality of life. The change being seen in Rwanda and Uganda is an incredible story of success and hope in a part of the world which saw terrible civil war and genocide.
The gorillas managed to survive the civil war and their number have increased in recent years but there are still only approximately 800 mountain gorillas left in the wild and captivity. If the recent success is continues the gorilla population will grow, ensuring that the eco-tourism industry in Rwanda and Uganda stays alive.
The hope is that more eco-friendly safari lodges can be built which will enable more tourists to come and visit. Managing the rate of development is an important task because the industry must be sustained which means not outgrowing itself. Steady progress is the key to success with the gorillas that are worth millions.
Gorilla Safaris 