The steady rise in visitor numbers at Nyungwe National Park is more than a tourism success story. It is a quiet but powerful lesson in how conservation, when done right, can translate into shared prosperity. From just over 2,300 visitors in 2005 to nearly 30,000 in 2024, Nyungwe’s growth reflects Rwanda’s deliberate investment in nature-based tourism and its insistence that communities living alongside protected areas must not be left behind. The tourism revenue-sharing scheme, now set to fund at least six community projects around the park this year with Rwf1.2 billion, deserves particular commendation. For communities that once bore the cost of conservation through restricted access to land and resources, this model offers a tangible return: schools, water infrastructure, health facilities, and income-generating projects. ALSO READ: Nyungwe Park’s Rwf1.2bn revenue fund to finance six community projects It helps shift conservation from being perceived as an external imposition to a shared national asset. Nyungwe’s inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List further strengthens this narrative, positioning the park not only as a biodiversity treasure but also as a source of pride and opportunity. Yet, this progress should be seen as a foundation, not a finish line. As visitor numbers grow, so do expectations. Revenue-sharing must move beyond infrastructure to long-term economic empowerment. Greater emphasis could be placed on skills training, youth employment, and supporting local enterprises that directly link communities to the tourism value chain, from guiding and hospitality to handicrafts and sustainable agriculture. Moreover, increased tourism brings environmental pressures that require constant vigilance. Community members should be further integrated as stewards of conservation, not just beneficiaries, through participatory decision-making and environmental education. Nyungwe’s success shows that conservation and development need not be competing goals. With deeper community inclusion, smarter investments, and continued accountability, Rwanda can turn this model into a benchmark for how protected areas across Africa can thrive ecologically, economically, and socially.
