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With
the help of Southern Skies Marketing for the few months leading
up to World Travel Market in 2004, Gabon launched itself as the
new wildlife tourism destination.
Gabon's
economy has long been based on the exploitation of its primary
resources (oil, manganese, uranium, timber etc). More recently
the country has realised the need to diversify its economy - tourism
has thus become one of Government's priority sectors.
Gabon
is establishing a reputation as an original destination in terms
of its rich natural and cultural heritage. Gabon benefits from
a wealth of fauna and flora, a prime location, political stability,
a peaceful and hospitable population as well as cultures and traditions,
which are varied and lively.
The
future of the Central African rainforest depends on the healthy
interdependency between its plants and animals. One cannot survive
without the other. Large animals such as elephants, gorillas and
chimpanzees disperse the seeds of the trees and plants, which
is vital for the survival of the forest. Logging is Gabon's largest
employer providing 60 000 people, either directly or indirectly,
with their means of living. Hunting for subsistence has traditionally
been a way of life and is still permissible under certain criteria
but the threat of large scale poaching is still very real. Bringing
poaching down to sustainable levels is a conservation priority.
The battle for conservation is thus a battle against logging and
poaching. In 2002 President Bongo established a network of 13
national parks. These eco-tourism parks are being developed as
an economic alternative to logging and poaching.
Gabon
discovered oil offshore in the early 1970's and gained prominence
by being the smallest country to be a member of OPEC and the country
with the highest per capita earning of any in Africa. The Gamba-Ivingo
oil field is still producing 10 000 barrels a day but the oil
is on the decline and continued production after 2007 is doubtful.
This played a role in the desire to create the National Park network.
Environmental organisations and oil companies in Gamba are working
together to change attitudes towards poaching by holding environmental
training programmes that emphasise the importance of conserving
environment and the possible dangers of consuming bushmeat. The
Smithsonian Institute is working with the Gabonese government,
scientists, Shell Gabon and international counterparts to learn
what species are found in the Gamba Complex and the ecological
processes that govern the ecosystems. This vital information creates
awareness of Gabon's rich biodiversity; aids industry in determining
the best environmental practices; and supports long term conservation
efforts in the region. The Gabonese government in conjunction
with the WWF has given the region, the 2 National Parks of Loango
and Moukalaba-Doudou. They are keen to find a workable solution
to the twin issues of conservation and economics by encouraging
tourism. Loango is the only place where western lowland gorillas,
forest elephants, buffalo and hippopotami can all with luck be
seen on the same beach. Even leopard have been spotted on the
beach!
Prominent
international environmental organisations involved in Gabon are
ECOFAC, the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Wildlife Conservation
Society (WCS). Turtles and whales are protected by local NGO,
Adventures sans Frontieres (ASF). Mike Fay a WCS biologist trekked
for 15 months, 1200 miles on a Megatransect across Central Africa
and Gabon. National Geographic magazine published the article
in August 2004. www.nationalgeographic.com
The
Ecosystemes Forestiers d'Afrique Centrale (ECOFAC) - in English
the Programme for Conservation and Rational Utilisation of Forest
Ecosystems in Central Africa - was set up in 1992. The scope of
its conservation interest has now broadened beyond the forest,
for example to include turtles, but all initiatives conform to
ECOFAC's founding principle that the protection of the environment
and economic development are linked. Educational materials such
as comic books have been produced by ECOFAC to show that tourism
can more then replace the money made from turtle meat and eggs.
ECOFAC is keen to promote carefully managed tourism as an alternative
way for local communities to capitalise on their natural resources.
The ECOFAC research arm has a research station at Lope Wildlife
Reserve. In Lope mandrill troops of up to 1000 as well as baboons
may be seen together, one of the largest primate gatherings on
earth.
The
Objectives of the National Parks:
- Protect,
for present and future generations of Gabonese people, the wealth
of natural resources
- Protect,
for people worldwide, areas of world heritage standing
- Develop
ecotourism products
- Develop
an alternative source of income for the local population
- Reduce
poverty amongst the local population
Tourism
in Gabon is experiencing major growth but the country needs to
expand and improve existing structures. The authorities are therefore
keen to involve the private sector in tourism investment.
The
investment needs are:
- to
construct lodges and hotels (upmarket and mid-range) near the
National Parks
- improve
accessibility to the Parks (road construction and improvement)
- develop
eco-tourism products
- and
to ensure the commercialisation of these products.
The
Ministry of Tourism has a particular vision of ecotourism which
should be implemented in National Parks - one which ensures the
protection of the biodiversity, the culture of the local population
and one which ensures sustainable economic development.
Download
the Gabon
Tourism Brochure* in PDF Format (7.797M)
*Please
note that these documents can be large and might take a few minutes
to download.
If you can not view the file format (PDF) you can download the
Adobe Reader by going
to the Adobe Website via the link below.
If you would like a printed copy, please
contact us.
Gabontour
BP 2085 Libreville
Bureau Centre Ville
Gabon
Tel:
+241 72 85 04
Fax: +241 72 85 03
e-mail:
gabontour@internetgabon.com,
gabontour2@internetgabon.com
website: www.gabontour.ga
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