Rwanda has doubled the price of gorilla permits from about Sh77,400 to Sh154,800 for all visitors, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said in a statement last weekend.
A new exclusive package for tourists who wish to book an entire family of gorillas was also introduced at $15,000 (about Sh1.5 million), giving exclusive personalised tour guide services.
The price increase, which takes immediate effect, will not affect tourists who had already purchased their tickets at the time of the new changes.
Tourists who visit other national parks (Nyungwe in west and Akagera in east) for a minimum of three days, in addition to gorilla trekking, will receive a discount of 30 per cent, RDB said.
Similarly, conference tourists, who stay before or after conference dates to see gorillas will be eligible for a 15 per cent discount.
High-end tourism strategy
The statement said the increase was in line with Rwanda’s high-end tourism strategy, adding that the price increase aims to strengthen conservation efforts and contribute more to the development of communities living around the Volcanoes National Park, where gorillas live.
Along with the new tariff, the tourism revenue sharing rate for communities adjacent to the park, will also increase from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, which will quadruple the absolute revenues received by communities.
Over the last 12 years, according to officials, more than 400 community projects have been completed including hospitals, schools, business development centers and water supply systems to facilitate access to clean water.
These projects directly benefit the people living around the parks.
“Gorilla trekking is a highly unique experience. We have raised the price of permits in order to ensure sustainability of conservation initiatives and enhance visitors’ experience. We also want to make sure that the communities living near the park area receive a bigger share of tourism revenues to fund development projects and empower them economically,” said Clare Akamanzi, the chief executive officer of RDB.
Mountain gorillas are an endangered species with only around 880 remaining in the world. Of those in the Virunga Massif, Rwanda accounts for 62 per cent of the gorilla population.
Stringent conservation measures have significantly contributed to a rise in gorilla numbers.
There are currently 20 families habituated for tourism and research in Rwanda, up from just 9 families in 2010.
