Rwanda Development Board (RDB) on Saturday, July 4, launched a digital application that will enable end users to view the course of the liberation struggle and therefore boost both domestic and international tourism. Dubbed Liberation History Tourism Trail, the application has information on the history and significance of all 44 liberation sites located in six districts across the country. It also has additional features such as accessibility, surrounding amenities and booking information. Spearheaded by the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), the Liberation struggle began in October 1990 through July 4, 1994. The study of this app, according to RDB, was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and Rwanda Defense Force, and will boost both domestic and international tourism. Commenting on the new mobile application, the RDB Chief Tourism Officer, Belise Kariza said that its significance lies in both boosting tourism and benefiting communities. “The preservation of liberation heritage sites is a national priority not only for the growth of both domestic and international tourism but also as income-generating activities for the communities that supported the troops during the Liberation struggle, she said. Kariza added that: This app aims to connect Rwanda’s heritage and cultural attractions with existing diverse tourism products and experiences. The app can is currently available on Android (download link) at the moment. Measures in place to revive the tourism sector Being one of the country’s top foreign exchange earners, tourism is currently one of the worst-hit sectors by Covid-19 pandemic and its recovery is expected to take longer than the rest of the economy. On this note, many measures being put in place for the meantime target to boost domestic tourism and regional tourism before prioritizing international tourism that is expected to gain momentum post-Covid-19. Of the Government’s economic recovery fund estimated at over $200 million (approximately Rwf186 billion) aimed at supporting local businesses that are hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, some $50 million has been earmarked for restructuring loans to the tourism sector, mainly hotels. In addition to this, the recent green light given to chartered flights and the resumption of passenger flights expected in August this year are also expected to revive this sector.
