Rwanda Development Board Launches Liberation Tourism Trail

Rwanda through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has introduced the Liberation Tourism Trail as its new tourism product. The new tourism product gives tourists on the Rwanda safari holiday insight into the country’s history specifically the liberation struggle. Before launching, the RDB together with the Ministry of Defense underwent a 15-day training of 35 professional guides as a way to enhance their knowledge of the new product.

The Liberation Tourism Trail covers about 120kms and features about 33 unique tourist sites which are distributed in the 6 districts in Rwanda. Every site had a significant role during the war on national liberation which began on 1st October 1990 and stopped on 4th July 1994. This trail was open to the public in August 2019 and it includes the battlefields, and assembly/command point of the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) during the four-year war which occurred between the Hutus and Tutsis. RPA was a section of the military of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) that rescued Rwanda from the verge of extinction by the genocidal government.

According to Emmanuel Nsabimana the head of the tourism regulation department, the Liberation History Tourism Trail is a monumental part of the country’s history and heritage with the potential to boost the country’s tourism revenue collection. To commence the sale of a product, about 35 professional guides underwent training on 15th February 2020. This was to equip them with essential skills about the war which also includes the warfare know-how that was used by the guerrilla force. It also involved field visits and rehearsing the narrative part of the struggle. The training was arranged together with the Rwanda Defense Force, Institute of Museums of Rwanda, and the Private Sector Federation through its chamber of tourism. Launching the liberation tourism trail also serves as one way of diversifying the country’s tourism products.

Some of the sites to be showcased to tourists on Rwanda safari while on a walk on this trail include among others the campaign against genocide museum in Kimihurura, the RPA entry point in Kagitumba, Nyabwishongwezi and this is a point Major General Fred Gisa Rwigema-the first liberator was murdered and Gabiro the first barracks was captured by the liberators plus Nyagatare which was the first town to be captured. It also covers the RPF and RPA headquarters in Mulindi, Kaniga where Radio Muhabura was found; Rubaya Sick Bay of Rubaya and all these are in Gicumbi, and then Ruhengeri Prison and RPA reorganization place in Urugano in Musanze.