Tuesday
22nd October 2019 Issue
The
Gambia is without a doubt one of the safest and friendliest places for visitors
to explore. Upon arrival, it’s easy to understand why the country has garnered
such an admirable reputation.
From
its clean beaches, trekking errands, sightseeing and safari excursion, the
Smiling Coast has plenty to offer.
Tourism
is considered to be one of the major earners, thanks to the country’s strategic
location and proximity to the rest of Europe.
Corendon
Airlines, the maiden flight from Holland landed in the country with 141 Dutch
tourists last week.Officials of The Gambia Tourism Board received the visiting
guests at the airport. However, the move is part of a broader move to promote
Destination Gambia as a year-round holiday paradise. We hope the trend
continues.
Annually,
approximately 1.2 billion people travel abroad, according to the United Nations
World Tourism Organization. Many countries have turned tourism into a pillar of
economic growth.
However,
tourism is more than just getting people to visit. Tourism is an obvious
gateway.Tourism organizations need to think creatively about the big picture of
economic growth. Despite the lucrative nature of tourism, there is need for
people to be aware of sex tourism, which is increasing in some destinations.
Government should also take steps to sensitize locals and tourists to do away
with vices that tarnish the image of the country and might put them within the
reach of the long arm of the law.
Also,
in order to boost the number of tourists, it is essential to carry out
aggressive promo and marketing. The hospitality business is one of the fastest
growing sources of income for The Gambia. It has its economic multiplier
effects in addition to employing more youths in the sector. These also accord
tourism entrepreneurs the chance to explore new areas of innovation.
It
is an indisputable fact that the involvement of the private sector also in this
industry is crucial for tourism to thrive. We need to build the necessary
infrastructure that could accommodate more tourists who are expected to visit.
Many
of these visiting tourists enjoyed every bit of their stay from the sun,
meeting locals, out-and-about in the local neighborhoods and even safari
excursions.
With
increasing changing demands in the hospitality industry to meet customer
satisfaction, The Gambia’s tourism development aspirations continue to be on
track with the ultimate focus on increasing tourists’ arrivals.
Plans are in the offing to make the destination an all year round season. This will also create more opportunities for stakeholders involved in the hospitality industry.
“The
reception and the welcome home was quite overwhelming but an indication of how
much the Welsh people valued my winning in the Olympics - it was a great
memory.”
Lynn
Davies
