She said the regional consultations were important because communities understand their resources and challenges better and should therefore be involved in identifying projects that could have lasting economic benefits.
“We really need to diversify to explore other areas, like ecotourism, using our culture to sell The Gambia, and also looking at some of the festivals we have and our gastronomy,” PS Njie said.
According to her, the objective is not only to increase visitor numbers but also to strengthen Destination Gambia by encouraging tourists to explore different regions and extend their stay.
She said achieving this would require better-quality tourism products, supported by appropriate infrastructure, facilities and enhancement of existing attractions.
PS Njie explained that government would assess the concerns and proposals raised during the consultations and determine which projects could be implemented immediately, in the short, medium or long term.
She stressed that some initiatives could be addressed as “low-hanging” projects, while others, particularly capital-intensive interventions, would require greater planning and engagement with development partners.
The Permanent Secretary said the Ministry would work through institutions including the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI), while also seeking support from partners such as the European Union and World Bank.
One of the major issues emerging from the consultations was the underutilisation of the River Gambia for tourism.
The Permanent Secretary said the government was considering the development of cruise tourism on the river, including day and night cruises, the transformation of jetties into marinas and the development of boutique hotels at strategic locations along the river.
She also identified the rewilding of Kiang West National Park as another potential tourism initiative.
According to her, the initiative seeks to restore wildlife and create an attraction that could provide tourists with a wildlife experience in The Gambia, similar to attractions such as Fathala in neighbouring Senegal.
Festivals also form part of the diversification strategy, with Njie citing the Kankurang Festival and Wuli’sSutukoba Festival as cultural events that could be developed from local attractions into international tourism events.
Meanwhile, GTBoard Director General Ida Jeng-Njie said regional stakeholders were also seeking stronger connections with the Board to enable them to share their challenges and access greater support.
She said stakeholders had called for increased inspection and regulation of tourism facilities, which she described as one of the immediate actions the GTBoard intends to undertake.
Communities in the Central River and Upper River regions also want suitable spaces where they can display and sell tourism products, including crafts.
Madam Jeng-Njie said the creation of such spaces was among priority areas identified under the Tourism Diversification and Resilience of The Gambia Project.
