Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park (VNP) is sited in the Virunga Mountains, one of the most important regions for biodiversity conservation in Africa. We introduced community-based tourism entrepreneurship working with communities around the village of Nyakinama. We work closely with women and youth cooperatives, integrating their views and wishes through participatory planning meetings. We facilitate the access to market, enabling cooperatives to reach international tourists with their handicraft products and cultural activities. Environmental programmes, linked to tourism products have positive impacts on biodiversity.

Our community-based tourism activities support conservation in VNP. Our model helped in diversifying livelihoods and reduced forest resources dependency. Our community-based tourism programme has a high pro-poor impact, enabling the local community to be included in the tourism value chain, increase their economic status, thus allowing them to spearhead conservation in the Volcanoes National Park.