The purpose of the article is to present the geographical diversity of four national parks in Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park), as well as a diversified approach to the ways of sharing them as centers of nature-based tourism. The first part attempts to define nature-based tourism and to outline the characteristics of the geographical environment and the state of tourism development in Rwanda. The natural tourist values of national parks and ways of making them available for tourism were discussed on this background. The study used secondary materials (literature, reports, statistical data) as well as primary materials – results of the field inventory and interviews conducted with employees of the national parks during the geographical field seminar in Rwanda entitled Tourism and the functioning of protected natural areas in overpopulated conditions (January-February 2020). The knowledge and experience of the author who is a native resident of Rwanda was also important in collecting and interpreting data. The conclusions present a synthetic diversity of the geographical environment of Rwanda with regard to three main zones. In addition, the importance of the economic effects of nature-based tourism for many beneficiaries was emphasized: residents, entrepreneurs, the geographical environment of national parks, as well as the state economy. Recommended further research concerns the need to take up issues also in the field of community-based tourism, environmental awareness and attitude of society, and development opportunities for sustainable and responsible tourism in Rwanda.

Keywords: national parks, nature-based tourism, sustainable tourism, responsible tourism, Rwanda

Zróżnicowanie środowiska geograficznego parków narodowych w Rwandzie jako centrów turystyki opartej na walorach przyrodniczych

Zarys treści: Celem artykułu jest przybliżenie zróżnicowania środowiska geograficznego czterech parków narodowych w Rwandzie (Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park), a także zróżnicowanego podejścia do sposobów ich udostępniania, jako centów turystyki bazującej na walorach przyrodniczych (nature-based tourism). W pierwszej części podjęto próbę zdefiniowania nature-based tourism, oraz przedstawienia w zarysie stanu rozwoju turystyki w Rwandzie. Na tym tle zostały scharakteryzowane przyrodnicze walory turystyczne parków narodowych oraz sposoby ich udostępniania dla turystyki. W opracowaniu wykorzystano materiały wtórne (literaturę, raporty, dane statystyczne), jak również pierwotne – wyniki inwentaryzacji terenowej oraz wywiadów przeprowadzonych z pracownikami parków narodowych podczas geograficznego seminarium terenowego w Rwandzie pt. Turystyka a funkcjonowanie przyrodniczych obszarów chronionych w warunkach przeludnienia (styczeń-luty 2020). Istotne znaczenie w gromadzeniu i interpretacji danych ma również wiedza i doświadczenie autorki będącej rdzennym mieszkańcem Rwandy. W konkluzjach przedstawiono syntetyczne zróżnicowanie środowiska geograficznego Rwandy z uwzględnieniem trzech stref. Ponadto podkreślone zostały efekty ekonomiczne tej formy turystyki dla wielu beneficjentów: mieszkańców, przedsiębiorców, środowiska geograficznego parków narodowych, a także gospodarki państwa. Rekomendowane, dalsze badania powinny dotyczyć takiej problematyki, jak community-based tourism, świadomości i postaw ekologicznych społeczeństwa oraz możliwości rozwoju dla zrównoważonej i odpowiedzialnej turystyki w Rwandzie.

The purpose of the article is to present the geographical diversity of four national parks in Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park), as well as a diversified approach to the ways of sharing them as centers of nature-based tourism. The first part attempts to define nature-based tourism and to outline the characteristics of the geographical environment and the state of tourism development in Rwanda. The natural tourist values of national parks and ways of making them available for tourism were discussed on this background. The study used secondary materials (literature, reports, statistical data) as well as primary materials – results of the field inventory and interviews conducted with employees of the national parks during the geographical field seminar in Rwanda entitled Tourism and the functioning of protected natural areas in overpopulated conditions (January-February 2020). The knowledge and experience of the author who is a native resident of Rwanda was also important in collecting and interpreting data. The conclusions present a synthetic diversity of the geographical environment of Rwanda with regard to three main zones. In addition, the importance of the economic effects of nature-based tourism for many beneficiaries was emphasized: residents, entrepreneurs, the geographical environment of national parks, as well as the state economy. Recommended further research concerns the need to take up issues also in the field of community-based tourism, environmental awareness and attitude of society, and development opportunities for sustainable and responsible tourism in Rwanda.