This can be confirmed as the officials of the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) gathered at the Gambia Sea Port to welcome the arrival of one of the latest cruise ships, Riveria from Spain on Monday morning.
The upsurge of cruise ships visiting the Destination came as a result of the hard work of the stakeholders in the industry and in particular the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) under the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture (MOTAC).
As recorded, from November 17 to 25 a series of cruise ships berthed at the shore of the Gambia which included Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Splendor, Azaamar Quest, and Riviera and it is making cruise tourism popular in The Gambia compared to the past.
Ebrima A.K. Sanyang, senior officer of Research and Development at the GTBoard, underscored the importance of tourism to the country, saying it plays an important role in any country’s economy.
There are different types of tourism, he said, and there are different ways they come into a Destination such as “by land, air and sea, a category which cruise ships come through. So this is another mode of transportation for tourists to access destinations.”
Since the start of this year’s winter tourism season, he affirmed, “From 17 November to today, we have recorded different cruise ships accessing the Destination. This is Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Splendor, Azaamar Quest, and today we are excited to welcome the MS Riviera, a luxurious cruise ship from Oceania Cruises which docked in Banjul, Gambia with 1,116 passengers.”
He noted that the cruise ship, MS Riviera was part of an incredible 27-day itinerary that showcases the beauty of West Africa, and “it does not only highlights Banjul as a must-visit cruise tourism destination, but also provides a chance for our local businesses to connect with travelers from around the world.”
However, he revealed that the four mentioned cruise ships have brought over 3000 passengers to the Destination Gambia within the aforementioned dates 17th to 25th November.
Meanwhile, Barbara Patterson, like other tourists aboard the Riviera Cruise Ship, expressed joy in visiting Destination Gambia despite the short period they have to spend before continuing their journey to the next destination.
