New tourism security unit building inaugurated

The Director General of the Gambia Tourism Authority, Binta Jobe, on Monday inaugurated the new building for the Tourism Security Unit in Senegambia.

The official inauguration was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, senior military officers from the Ministry of Defence and members of the tourist tax drivers association.

In delivering her speech on behalf of the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mrs Jobe said she was elated and happy to witness the official inauguration of the new office complex for the Tourism Security Unit and the handing over of materials donated by the Netherlands Foundation of The Gambia under the dynamic leadership of the Honorary Consul General of The Gambia in the Netherlands, Mr Bert Plusquin, and the members of the Netherlands Foundation.

She said the strategic partnership between Gambia tourism and the Netherlands Gambia Foundation has sustained longevity. "I am pleased to note that the interventions of the Foundation have indeed been very beneficial," she said.

According to her, in the past years the Gambia Tourism Authority has received tremendous support in terms of logistics and training of Tourism Security Unit personnel and the provision of certain gadgets including scooters, van pickups, mobile phones and bicycles.

This will further strengthen the capacity and output of the unit, Madam Jobe said: "I am very proud to say that we have registered tremendous successes in addressing the bumster menace because of this intervention as well as address the cases of Child Sex Tourism and other negative vices in the TDA.

"Under the Quality Tourism project, we have benefited a lot in terms of technical and material support for tourism development projects in such diverse areas as Hotel Classification, Human Resource Development, Enhancing Security, Product Development, Upgrading of the Gambia Hotel School, Education, Health and Social Welfare."

She noted that as a World Class Destination and Business Centre offering peace and hospitality, the Smiling Coast must continue to address the changing needs of the Tourism Industry and "diversify and upgrade our Tourist product so as to attract high spending tourists and increase demand".