Key facts
- China is developing Ouidah, Benin, a historic slave port, into a tourist destination.
- Ouidah was a major hub during the transatlantic slave trade.
- Nearly 2 million enslaved Africans were marched along the "Slave Route" to the beach.
- A monumental memorial arch, the "Gate of No Return", now stands at the beach.
In Ouidah, a southern Atlantic coastal town in Benin located approximately 40km west of the economic capital Cotonou, China is undertaking a development project to transform the historic slave trade hub into a busy tourist destination. This port was once a critical point in the transatlantic slave trade, where nearly 2 million enslaved Africans were marched along a 2km "Slave Route" from an auction plaza to the beach. Today, a monumental memorial arch, known as the "Gate of No Return", stands at the shore where captives were passed through.