Gorilla tourism remains the backbone of Rwanda’s tourism and conservation sector. PHOTO FILE | NATION
Faced by dwindling business, tour and travel operators in Rwanda
have welcomed a 30 per cent low-season discount permit fees to the
gorilla conservation areas.
A year after government
doubled the permit fees to (Rwf1.3 million ($1500), from Rwf650,640
($750) as it sought to package Rwanda as a high-end tourism destination,
tour operators say they have lost up to 60 per cent of their customers.
“The
$1,500 fee is killing us, the discount is a relief,” said the manager
of New Horizon Tours and Services, Emmanuel Karake. “The gorilla
tracking is a unique experience, but this permit fee is too high.”
The
discount means visitors will pay Rwf911,076 ($1,050) between November
and May. But some operators cite other conditions, for instance, a
tourist will have to spend at least three days in the country and also
visit Rwanda’s national parks of Akagera and Nyungwe, as an added cost.
“I
have not got any bookings based on these discounts,” said Aimable
Tuyigire, from Home Rwanda Safaris. “But it’s a great idea. Since the
price doubled we have lost many customers, many of whom prefer to cross
over to Uganda and track gorillas there.”
Tour operators say that they incur extra costs when their clients cross over to Uganda.
Tour operators say that they incur extra costs when their clients cross over to Uganda.
For
example, they have to pay $20 (Rwf17,346) to the Uganda Revenue
Authority, $30 (Rwf26,019) for Comesa insurance and fuel charges, which
end up raising their holiday package quotation by 10 to 20 per cent.
The rationale of doubling the price for both local and
international tourists was to position the country as a high-end tourism
destination, and to promote conservation by reducing the number of
gorilla visitors while maintaining revenues, according to the chief
tourism officer at the Rwanda Development Board Belise Kaliza.
Rwanda
charges $1,500 to spend one hour with a gorilla family. In Uganda the
permit costs $600, while in the Democratic Republic of Congo it costs
$400.
Kaliza said although there has been a slight
decrease in the revenues received in gorilla permit sales since they
doubled the price, the decrease is so little to cause any alarm.
“I look at the numbers there has not been a bad impact, it’s just a couple of dollars’ difference.”
“I look at the numbers there has not been a bad impact, it’s just a couple of dollars’ difference.”
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