In the ends of June 2013, Rwanda has enthusiastically received thousands of international, regional and local visitors to its Virunga mountain ranges to visit the endangered mountain gorillas. For decades, international conservation organizations, donors and concerned individuals have made substantial resources available to the gorilla conservation cause and continue to do so.

The remaining home range of the endangered mountain gorillas is limited to the Virunga Massif, a chain of volcanic mountains shared by Rwanda, DRC and Uganda. Rwanda boasts two third of the Virunga Massif?s remaining endangered mountain gorillas. The remaining population of mountain gorillas has only survived thanks to the renewed efforts of national conservation authorities and the local populations and the support they have received from the international community.

Despite turbulences in the region in the recent past, conservation partners have been active in the protection of this species and their habitat. For several decades now, Rwanda has been at the forefront of gorilla conservation efforts. The government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has put conservation high on its national agenda, not only for the protection of mountain gorillas and other keystone species, but also their habitats and ecosystems that provide life support to us all.

Notable achievement in Rwanda tourism are 26,3% growth in the population of gorillas since the last census in 2003, introduction of new tourism products such as the Congo Nile Trail, steady growth of tourists with 200 $millions in revenues in 2010, and estimated at 257 $millions in 2011 and conversion of poachers into farmers. The safety and security of the park and its surroundings is also a notable national achievement without which little of this would have been achieved. Another milestone in Rwanda?s tourism sector is the recent grading and classification of accommodation facilities using East African Standards.