The
Ministry of Tourism and Culture in collaboration with the Gambia Tourism Board
together with people from diverse backgrounds at the weekend celebrated the
International Bird Watching Festival at Tendaba Camp in Kiang.
Speaking
on the occasion, Abdoulie Hydara, director general of GTBoard, said the
gathering was the beginning of series of events marking the celebration of the
maiden edition of the International Bird Watching Festival in The Gambia.
“The
festival is a milestone in the annals of tourism in The Gambia and it will
henceforth be part of the calendar of events of destination Gambia,” Mr Hydara
said.
“Destination
Gambia has a wide range of unique products including the rich cultural heritage,
agreeable climate, gorgeous beaches as well as a very rich bird watching
credentials.”
He
pointed out that the GTBoard collaborated with the Ministry of Tourism and
Culture and other partners including Gambia Bird Watching Association to
initiate the festival as part of efforts to raise the profile of the tourism
industry as a sustainable, responsible and nature friendly industry.
GTBoard
DG said besides fabulous tourism products, The Gambia is endowed with abundant
peace and tranquility including a range of attractions that serve as a magnet
to tourists and visitors to the shores of the Smiling Coast.
“Already,
the Smiling Coast is frequented by a diverse range of seasoned and discerning
birders to indulge in their favourite passion such as bird watching in the
various birding destinations, which are rated very highly and preserved with
care by The Gambia government,” he said.
He
affirmed that the GTBoard and the Tourism Ministry would continue to explore
the potentials of The Gambia in the quest to not only to diversify the tourism
products, but to also increase the geographic scope of tourism.
DG
Hydara said the diversification also entails a gradual shift in focus from the
traditional package tour business and a gradual foray into niche tourism focusing
on ecology related tourism and developing niche products such as bird watching
and related products.
He
said the bird watching festival is held at a strategic time as the 2016/2017
winter season is just about to start.
He
noted that all the indications are that the forthcoming season will be “a
bumper season”, following a very lean two-year period due to the notorious
Ebola epidemic that had ravaged other parts of West Africa.
Bakary
Jammeh, board chairman of GTBoard, said the international festival seeks to
strengthen Gambia’s profile as one of the top birding destination in Africa.
He
said the festival is designed in a way to amplify the commitment to rural and
community tourism development, and it is also a reinforcement effort to support
birding in destination Gambia.
Mr
Jammeh said 50 per cent of the proceeds realised from the bird watching
festival will be allocated to support the conservation of Kotu Creek, a very
popular birding site in the tourism development area.
