Gabon is the world’s most carbon positive nation today, and it has launched a new travel destination marketing identity.
This new promotion invites tourists to visit the country’s rainforests and enjoy its beaches, cultural experiences and wildlife. The new brand – Discover Gabon, The Last Eden – builds on Gabon’s global reputation for sustainability, biodiversity and conservation, which has seen it being internationally awarded for the leading role it has taken in combating climate change globally.
Around 88 percent of the country is covered by rich equatorial rainforest and the country has the largest population of forest elephant in the world, with an estimated 95,000 of the critically endangered species, as well as being home to as many as 30,000 gorillas and chimpanzees.
Gabon is visited each year by the Southern Hemisphere’s largest population of humpback whales, who nurse their young there before migrating south, and the world’s largest populations of leatherback and olive-ridley turtles also come to Gabon to nest. The country is home to more than 10,000 plant species. This is more than the total diversity of all countries in West Africa, with 15 per cent of the plants in the country unique to Gabon.
Last January the country was named by Condé Nast Traveller as one of 22 must visit locations to go that year, with the magazine telling its readers: “Adventure seekers, nature lovers, and environmental advocates who visit will find incredible biodiversity, and a country determined to put critical conservation and eco-tourism projects in place before the masses arrive.
“Find leatherback turtles nesting in sand dunes along the shores of Pongara National Park, spot whales spouting among crashing blue waves in Mayumba, climb verdant mountains and staggering cliffs in Bateke Plateau, explore historic caves and savanna in Birougou, and marvel over waterfalls plunging into the rapids of the blackwater rivers in Ivindo National Park.”
The launch of the new identity is part of an initiative by the country’s President, Ali Bongo Ondima, to further the development of eco-tourism in the country. Investments have been targeted upgrading infrastructure and developing high-end ecotourism under the country’s Green Gabon strategy for sustainable development.
President Bongo said: “The tourism sector is an important part of the development of the economy. But like any ambition, the achievement of the objectives of a sector as transversal as tourism requires planning and a program of actions.”
The Minister of Tourism, John Norbert Diramba, said: “The development of a strong and distinctive brand image has become the number one marketing challenge for destinations. In an increasingly competitive world, regions are seeking to assert their identity and characteristics more clearly in order to ensure better visibility and a positive perception of their image, both among those living abroad and among their own population. ‘Discover Gabon, the Last Eden’ is now the brand of our country – and it will become the identity associates with our country throughout the world.”
Christian Mbina, Director General of the country’s tourism authority AGATOUR, said: “The objective is to create Gabonese branding to position the country as a tourist product, improving its visibility and attractiveness on the international market. Gabon is rich in colorful and diverse souls, cultural heritage, and unique natural attractions. This new brand will create a country identity to build the image of Gabon as an attractive and exceptional destination.”
The brand identity was unveiled at a ceremony attended by dignitaries including the country’s Prime Minister, Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze. The brand was developed by a partnership of agencies in Gabon led by AGATOUR that included the country’s investment bureau ANPI, the national wildlife Service ANPN and representatives from governmental departments including Ministry of Minister of Water, Forests, the Sea, and Environment, charged with Climate Change, SDGs and Land-use Planning. The international communications company Zebek worked with the government to deliver the new brand vision, media elements and identity.
Gabon is the most carbon positive nation on the planet. The carbon account submitted to the UNFCCC has documented its exceptionally high performance in removing just over 100 million tons of CO2 more from the atmosphere per annum than it emits. This is roughly equivalent to absorbing and offsetting 25 per cent of the annual emissions of the United Kingdom.
To protect its biodiversity, Gabon also established a network of 13 national parks. In total 22 per cent of Gabon’s land falls within protected areas while another 60 per cent is managed in sustainable forestry concessions. Since 2018 the country has also declared 26 per cent of Gabon’s marine waters as marine protected areas.
