Rwandan National Park Named Best Overseas and Best Global Project by British Travel Writers

November 06, 2012

The Nyungwe Nziza project in Rwanda has been named winner of the prestigious British Guild of Travel Writers’ (BGTW) Best Overseas and Best Global Project Awards. At the recent annual awards dinner at the Savoy Hotel in London, Guild Chair Roger Bray said: “Nyungwe Nziza is a model tourism project for developing countries.”

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been working with the government of Rwanda for 20 years to help transform the Nyungwe National Park into a viable ecotourism destination. Implemented by DAI, the current project—called Strengthening Sustainable Ecotourism in and around Nyungwe National Park—focuses on developing inclusive ecotourism for the benefit of communities surrounding the park and leveraging private sector investment in the management, construction, and maintenance of park infrastructure.

At the BGTW awards ceremony, the Nyungwe Nziza (“Beautiful Nyungwe”) project was recognized for its contributions to ecotourism, biodiversity, and local communities. “Guild members selected the Nyungwe Nziza project after considering many projects from around the world,” said former BGTW Chair Melissa Shale. “We voted for the Nyungwe Nziza because it is really the sort of project that should be replicated around the world.”

“Nyungwe National Park is one of the most spectacular natural landscapes in the world. USAID is proud to have been working alongside our Rwandan partners in this montane rainforest since the 1980s,” said USAID/Rwanda Mission Director Peter Malnak. “Nyungwe is now transforming into an ecotourism destination that attracts visitors from all around the world. Most importantly, the Rwandan government, the private sector, and local communities understand the value in Nyungwe, and are working together to protect the forest not only for its remarkable beauty, but also for the economic benefits and ecological services it provides.”

Partners on the project include SW Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm, and the U.S. National Park Service.