Fachhochschule Eberswalde * Fachbereich: Wirtschaft/

TYPE OF TOURIST DESCRIPTION POTENTIAL
Special interest
groups
South African
ecotourists
Gorilla tracking
tourists
SHORT-TERM
professional people with money but limited
vacation time.
Pioneer tourists accept that travelling to
new destinations have risks and are
usually prepared for the challenges faced
in Rwanda. They are also valuable
marketing agents as they tend to tell many
of their friends and relatives about their
adventures and word of mouth marketing
is the best and most effective form of
tourist destination marketing.
Special interest groups are tourists that
frequently travel in groups to experience or
undertake specific objectives such as bird
watching (Shoebill), mountain peak
climbing, gorilla tracking, etc.
They tend to have well organised travel
plans and work in conjunction with ground
tour operators and travel agents. The
purpose of their travel is to experience
their defined recreation objective for which
they often pay considerable sums of
money.
The South African ecotourist market is a
unique market. The market has a tradition
of visiting protected areas, is used to and
desires rough African conditions, is
accepting of perceived dangers of travel in
Africa, has a desire to travel into East /
Central Africa, and is seeking less
expensive destinations due to the
devaluation of the South African currency.
This market may be exploited in the shortterm
as it is easily identifiable
MEDIUM-TERM
The gorilla tracking market is Rwanda’s
most important and significant international
tourist market on which its entire present
tourist plant is based. This international
market tends to tack gorilla tracking onto
the beginning or end of their East African
safari. Akagera National Park can not
compete with other similar East African
national parks but it can provide an
alternative transitory attraction for gorilla
tracking visitors on their way from Kigali to
Volcanoes National Park.
For this market to be attracted, an eastern
tour route needs to be developed. Local
tour operators would transport this market.
Explorer tourists Explorer tourists are similar to pioneer
tourists in the sense that they are seeking
less travelled to destinations. They tend to
be less adventurous than pioneer tourists
and commonly fall into the backpacker
category. This category of tourist tends to
spend more money on experiences and
activities than accommodation and meals.
Top-end, big
spending, up-market
tourists as identified in
National Tourism
Strategy.
Similar to pioneer tourists, they make a
valuable word of mouth contribution to
marketing Rwanda as an international
tourist destination.
Exclusive tourists wanting the best quality
of service, accommodation, activities and
attractions for which they are prepared to
pay considerable amounts of money.
To organise special events and activities
(adventure, endurance and sporting) that
will attract pioneer tourists and media to
Akagera National Park.
To encourage pioneer tourists to market
Rwanda as a tourist destination by word of
mouth.
To provide a range of facilities, services,
activities and attractions to meet the
specific needs of special interest tourist
groups.
To provide inexpensive, rustic
accommodation and interesting wildlife
experiences and activities that will be
attractive to the South African ecotourist
market. Akagera National Park would be
an integral two-night component of a
week-long tour around Rwanda.
To provide specific nature-based activities
that are in demand by this market
segment.
To attract this market to Akagera National
Park for one or two nights on their way to
Volcanoes National Park as part of the
gorilla tracking package. This market
would need rustic and luxury
accommodation as well as experienced,
knowledgeable safari guides to guide
them through the park.
To develop the south-north tour route
through the park with appropriate
activities, facilities and services along the
tour route.
To encourage explorer tourists to visit
Akagera National Park by providing a
range of nature-based and wildlife
activities that are not permitted in other
similar national parks.
To provide rustic, inexpensive tourist
accommodation and locally provided safari
services that may be operated by local
entrepreneurs.
A high quality, exclusive site for a private
sector operated luxury game lodge will be
identified in Akagera National Park and
reserved for this exclusive use.
(Abbildung 10: Beschreibung Existierender und potentieller Zielgruppen für den ANP, Robford 2002:8-10)
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