The
Tourism Development Master Plan - a blue print for sustainable tourism
development has challenged tourism stakeholders to strive to make The Gambia a
“distinctive 21st century African tourist destination, rather than one that is
a copy of the Mediterranean tourist destination of the last century”. Simply
put, in order for destination Gambia to
become competitive and not to be overshadowed in the crowded market place of
international tourism, deliberate efforts have to be deployed to make the “fuel
wood necessary for tourism to spark’.
In
view of the foregoing there has been a felt need to undertake development not
only at the demand level, but the supply side as well. However, it is a
given that the provision of supply side
support systems is primarily the responsibility and purview of Government in
destinations and this is in line with best practice in destination management.
While tourism products are directly experienced and consumed by visitors and
tourists, these need to be complemented by a range of indirect systems and
services that are vital to facilitating an enjoyable and hassle free
experience. These supply side support systems include service quality levels
(human interfaces and operating standards), intangibles (safety, environmental
integrity, and general destination upkeep), and tourism related infrastructure
(public transport, airport, roads, utilities, road signs and so on and tourism
information networks and systems (information offices, electronically
accessible information services, market intelligence and planning information).
In
destination Gambia, a lot of attention is being paid to the intangibles and
security is of paramount importance in the supply side support mix. This is
critical because peace and tranquility are the bedrock of tourism development
and invariably according to one seasoned operative in the industry “security
and stability is the cornerstone of any tourist destination”.
As
a global industry, tourism is on the march despite challenges at economic level
exacerbated by growing terrorist threat at international and regional levels.
Potential in the tourism sector is undeniable and the African continent hosted
staggering 58 million visitors in 2015 and this is poised to increase to 134
million arrivals to the region by 2030 based on tangible forecasts. As the flow
of tourists increase there is greater need for tourism stakeholders to pay
particular attention to certain key variables shaping tourism development both
locally and the global level, and these include amongst others:
Security
and safety- a sine qua non for tourism development.
Demand
by discerning tourists of value for money and quality products.
Effectiveness
of marketing plans and strategies which should be well integrated and focused
including the use of e.marketing and e.promotion platform.
Effective
distribution channels and strengthening presence in key source markets.
Enlarge
the capacity to communicate effectively with tourists in their own languages
hence the appointment of marketing and PR representatives in key markets and
rolling out of translated versions of marketing literature. It is gratifying to
point out that the GTBoard- the implementing arm of the Ministry of Tourism and
Culture has taken tangible steps to address each of the foregoing and is work
in progress.
TOURISM
– THE SECURITY DIMENSION
Success
in each of these foregoing thematic areas requires substantial financial
commitment, especially in the domain of security and safety. Tourism security
may be viewed from different perspectives but in the Gambian context tourism
security may be considered under two broad parameters – security of the tourist
(the people travelling from one place to another for diverse motivations such
as adventure, shopping, vacation, education, research, religion, business and
or visit to relative and friends (VRF) etc, and the security of all the
resources invested in tourism.
Personal
safety often comes first for any traveler. No one is willing or likely to
travel to a country where personal safety and security are compromised. It is
generally recognized that the Gambia is safe and secure enough a country to
visit, except for a brief period during the post election impasse. This
attribute, simply put, is one of our unique selling points (USP). But security
is not a demand only of tourists, of course, it is vital for locals as well and
the recent dramatic events leading to the installation of the current
government is a good case in point. During the political impasse, for a brief
period the Smiling Coast turned crying coast, and the people known for hosting
tourists and entertaining them for nearly five decades became themselves
refugees and hosted in neighboring countries, as the period witnessed the mass
exodus of people, only rivaled by the exodus of Moses and his people to the
promised land.
TDA
SECURITY CHALLENGES
The
security challenges within the context of the Tourism Development Area (TDA)
are many and varied. However, the major cases are manifested as follows:
Pestering
of visitors by able bodied youth (bumsters)
and school going children apparently requesting for favors and other
benefits
Harassment
of tourists by various operatives and service providers in the TDA.
Aggressive
attitude of certain operatives towards tourists and syndicates such as
“promoters” in their quest to entice tourists to patronize certain hospitality
outfits and services in the TDA.
ROLE
AND MANDATE OF TOURISM SECURITY UNIT - TSU
In
quest to tackle these security challenges head on, the Tourism Security Unit
was set up by Government in 2003 and the author has been privileged to serve as
secretary to the special high level task force set up by one of the most dynamic
ministers of tourism in the former administration- Honorable YANKUBA TOURAY,
tasked with the mandate to draw the architecture, mandate and modus operanda of
the proposed tourism security unit.
It
was during one of those marathon sessions of the high level task force that I
realized how grounded the then Chief of
Defense Staff (CDS) Colonel Baboucarr Jatta was on security issues and learnt a
few things about military and security strategy, military logistics and
regimentation, as well as the role of
planning in security. Given my background (international relations) and high
level of exposure, the mainly security members of the committee learnt one or
two things from me as well. I revealed to their astonishment that according to
my role model DAG Hammershold – late UN Secretary General during the Congo
crisis in early 1960s “if you want peace, prepare for war” and further pointed
out that according to the same finest diplomat of his generation “faced with
the world of others one learns that he who has fully absorbed what his own
world has to offer is best equipped to profit by what extends beyond its
frontiers—the road inwards could become the road outwards’. I told the eminent
task force members that this was the basis of my fortitude and the main
motivation to give my best both as secretary to the high level interface and
one of the senior representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to
this highly relevant security task force.
I
worked closely with over six ministers
of the ancient regime, but no one impressed me to a higher pitch than Yankuba
Touray – one of the original junta members, but a smart guy with a suave personality, who understood the role of
tourism in the national economy and consequently during his tenure as Secretary
of State for Tourism and Culture, this
vital sector witnessed a renaissance, given that he was highly cognizant of the
need to develop both the demand and supply side products of the tourism plant
including the setting up of the Gambia Tourism Authority, consolidation of the
tourist guide scheme, upgrading the road network in the Senegambia Strip and
the installation of the first set of street lights in the TDA, stretching from
Senegambia to the Traffic Light
junction, introduction of the tourism development levy to support tourism
development, undertaking both supply side and demand led developments in the
twin villages of Juffureh and Albreda,
setting up of the tourism security unit (TSU)
and events such as the national tourism week, national tourism merit
awards, and the International Roots festival received added impetus during his
tenure and these events did indeed raise the profile of tourism at the national
level.
This
shrewd minister equally understood the critical role of destination marketing
and the need to adopt pro tourism measures at macro level such as easing of air
port landing charges, rolling out of special incentive packages for
international tour operators, easing of visa regimes, and reducing the cost of
aviation fuel to lure airlines in the drive to boost all year round tourism or
simply put “green season.”.
In
one of the high level tourism convergences at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, this
suave and articulate Secretary of State challenged his team to embark on
intensive and targeted marketing campaigns, because as he put it “ if coca
cola- a well established global brand can spend millions of Dollars on
marketing, why not destination Gambia’. He accordingly gave directives for the
constitution of a high level task force on marketing and trade fairs in
particular, and I was duly selected to serve as executive secretary and lead
coordinator. Credit goes to this task-force for laying the ground for the
crafting and rolling out of the first ever destination marketing strategy for
The Gambia.
In
my humble opinion this was the high point of Minister Touray’s foray in to
Gambian tourism, but the wanton and massive destruction of beach bars under his
watch, will be rated as one of the low points, even though the official
justification that overtime some beach bars metamorphosed in to dens for
bumsters was equally tenable.
The
Tourism Security Unit (TSU) was eventually set up and operational to this date,
another brainchild of Minister Touray and has since been serving the tourism
industry in providing vital security support and will continue to play a
prominent role in tourism given the emergence of various and emerging security
challenges both locally and the global level. The original mandate of the TSU, amongst others,
includes:
Creating
an enabling environment through tighter security in TDA and other areas
frequented by tourists, to ensure their free movement without fear, harassment
and intimidation at all given times.
To
build visitor confidence and enhance the image of destination Gambia.
To
deter the illegal activities of undesirable elements in the TDA and other areas
where tourists frequent.
To
ensure the establishment of an adequate tourist security framework nationwide.
The
TSU therefore has a daunting task to ensure hassle free tourism in Destination
Gambia. Since its inception, the TSU has
approached this mandate with robustness and their presence in the TDA and other
areas frequented by tourists is very much appreciated by the tourism
stakeholders.
STAKEHOLDER
SUPPORT
The
tourism stakeholders are appreciative, for a range of reasons, but mainly, due
to the high profile role of security, which has assumed added meaning for
tourism development in the light of the occasional terrorist attacks targeting
hospitality outfits in the sub region. On the other hand the TSU is also very
much appreciative of the support rendered to the security outfit by the Tourism
stakeholders such as the GTBoard, Gambia Hotel Association (GHA) etc in terms
of logistical support, sharing of valuable intelligence and other vital support
to enable the TSU discharge its mandate without major hitches.
However,
for the TSU to continue to operate effectively, that high level support and
partnership should be maintained at all times, “given the evolving and varied
nature of the challenges to include environmental issues , child sex tourism
and the emergence of terrorism as a
global, regional and national threat”.
CONCLUSION
The
TSU intensely need public support to be able to discharge its mandate
effectively. Everyone who cares for the future of Gambia Tourism should
appreciate and understand that the rules and operational procedure of the TSU
are intended to serve the wider public interest and the welfare and safety of
our coveted guests.
Lamin
Saho
The
author is a freelance tourism and marketing consultant and was formerly Senior
Tourism Officer (National Tourist Office)-2000- 2002. Former Director of
Marketing, GTA/GTBoard/ (2006-2012) and briefly served as Director of Planning,
Ministry of Tourism & Culture (2012)