As the 2025/26 tourist season gets underway, a total of 88 tourists on board TUI flight from the Netherlands on Saturday afternoon made an inaugural landing at the Banjul International Airport.
The flight comes as the country continues to receive more and more tourists from other destinations in the 2025/26 tourist season these past days.
This flight from Holland was received on arrival by officials from the Gambia Tourism Board and Ministry of Tourism amid cultural display by a local Fula troupe.
Speaking to journalists after the usual airport ceremony, Foday Bah, head of marketing at the Gambia Tourism Board, expressed delight to receive the maiden flight from TUI Holland.
The flight, he said, is the second TUI Holland-leading flight to the Gambia and that TUI group is a big network that is really partnering with Destination Gambia.
“Of course, TUI UK is there, TUI Belgium is there and TUI Holland. Last week we received a maiden flight from Belgium, that's the TUI Belgium. The frequency is one. Today we received TUI Holland, which frequency is two. And you will see that for TUI - UK, they will come in next week. So those two, the frequency is four flights per week.”
The GTBoard head of marketing explained that from Holland, they’re receiving Corendon as well from Holland, noting that in terms of combination for charter flights from Holland, they are receiving five flights, excluding non-other scheduled flights that are flying from Holland.
“So you can see that as a tourism board mandated to promote and market the Gambia as a tourist destination, we are doing a lot in terms of partnering with TUI group to promote and market the Gambia in their various markets.”
Bah outlined plans to aggressively market the Destination Gambia in various markets especially in the UK, Belgium and Holland.
He also revealed that they are expecting more arrivals from Holland, as Holland is a traditional market for The Gambia.
Commenting on the total number of visitors expected in the Gambia, Bah hinted that they’re expecting more 263,000 visitors by air and this includes a combination of both traditional and non-traditional markets.
“So this excludes the land and the sea borders. So of course, for this year, we are expecting 263,000 visitors from all markets. That's the traditional and non-traditional, both chartered and scheduled flights as we try to promote both.”
