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Article publié dans le newsletter "Rwanda - behind
the headlines", edité par Janice Booth (l'auteur
du Bradt Travel Guide sur le Rwanda) - Newsletter
°17, Mars 2004
THE AMAHORO
TOURISM INITIATIVE By Michael Grosspietsch In summer 2003 I was in Rwanda researching the image of the country as perceived by international visitors and incoming tour operators. This is when I got to know a remarkable man from Ruhengeri. Greg Bakunzi had realized that tourism could play a major role in poverty alleviation and sustainable development around his beloved Volcanoes National Park. However, most visitors only stayed as long as was necessary just to see the gorillas, and then vanished without leaving anything behind for the desperate citizens living around the Park, except for empty bottles and footprints on the fields. Something had to change! Greg brought together various friends and acquaintances who all shared his desire to make tourism work for the poor in the Ruhengeri area. Together, they founded the Ruhengeri Community Eco-tourism Association, with the goal of offering interested visitors intimate personal experiences with Rwandan life and culture as add-ons to the gorilla visit. Members include representatives of a variety of local associations (groups of brickmakers, witchdoctors, farmers, dancers etc) who are all willing to explain and demonstrate their activities to interested visitors. Through a valuable contact with a similar project in Uganda, Greg managed to attract several international tour operators who started to make use of this incredible opportunity. His reputation as a knowledgeable tour guide, and very fair President of his association, grew rapidly. However, it became clear that meaningful expansion of the association’s activities was possible only if they could offer, and market, their own inclusive tours. After much discussion, I persuaded Greg that he needed to set up his own local tour operator. I explained to him the modalities, and ways to keep costs to an absolute minimum while creating the platform needed to attract more clients. Thus the idea of Amahoro Responsible & Eco-Tours was born. Together we elaborated the concepts, collected the necessary information, started to make contacts around the country, and ensured that Greg would be able to deliver what he was going to offer. Now, the new website www.amahoro-tours.com features several sample tours as well as a variety of additional information on Rwanda and the activities of many local groups and associations. Furthermore, some international tour operators are already fascinated by this innovative approach: their clients are guaranteed the most intimate travel experience possible, while knowing that the local people in Rwanda also benefit from the activities. The next major challenge is to extend the activities of the Ruhengeri Community Eco-Tourism Association to the whole country. Already Greg has taken the first important steps by linking up with various groups in other parts of Rwanda that are now becoming part of the Amahoro Tourism Initiative. These include the Batwa Pottery Project and local handicraft producers in Rwamagana and Butare. We also plan to promote new tour concepts, for example for visitors interested in the work of international development agencies or conservation NGOs. The Amahoro Tourism Initiative looks forward to any comments, ideas, or suggestions for co-operation. We hope to attract a range of new clients, both international tour operators and individuals. For further information please look at our website and send us an email. Together, we can make tourism in Rwanda beneficial for both visitors AND the local people.
Contact: |
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Amahoro Tours
B.P. 87, Ruhengeri, Rwanda
Tél. +250-08655223
; info@amahoro-tours.com
© 2003-07