Also, the draft report had been subjected to a two-day review process in August 2024, which accorded stakeholders the opportunity to engage in consultative discussion and presentation in enhancing the content of the said report.
The initiative, under the Project Implementation Unit under the Tourism Diversification and Resilience Project of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, was supported by the Word Bank.
Thus, this dissemination forum accords participants the chance to discuss possible investment support and partnership so as to sell the concept for the realisation of the true potentials of tourism development in the country.
Welcoming the gathering, Momodou Ceesay, project director at the Tourism Diversification and Resilience Project of the Ministry of Tourism, reminded that the report being disseminating was one of the first activities launched at the start of the Tourism Diversification and Resilience Project in the country.
He further informed that the consultants, KEOIS were tasked to come up with a comprehensive assessment of tourism sites that will help strengthen the branding of the destination and diversify the country’s tourism products.
The task, he added, involved an assessment of locations and sites, review of a range of viable assets that can be transformed into competitive tourism products.
“This forms a wider strategy by government to support the tourism diversification efforts of the country as well as planned strategic re-branding that the TDR project intends to, through other key activities.”
Anupa Aryal Pant, deputy World Bank Task Team Leader, Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia, acknowledged that the World Bank has been working closely with the Ministry in the context of Tourism Diversification and Resilience project.
The project, she said, aims to diversify tourism products and market by strengthening institutional framework, improving linkages between local suppliers and large-tourism businesses and building resilience through infrastructural support.
“Tourism sector is a significant contributor to GDP and employment. Tourism is also a major source of direct investment, having attracted over US$45million over the past five years. The sector is recovering after the pandemic. International tourists’ arrivals recorded a 13% increase this year.”
However, despite this strong recovery, World Bank official indicated that tourists’ arrivals still remain below pre-pandemic levels, saying tourism remains in a relatively confined area on the coast near Banjul.
“So, within this context, I would like to highlight why this report is so timely and important for the country; the sector is heavily reliant on international tour operators who bring about 70% of all tourists. These tourists hardly leave the hotels.”
Declaring the forum open, Abdou Jobe, minister for Tourism and Culture, underscored the importance of the project in promoting Destination Gambia as a preferred spot.
Minister Jobe went on to thank the World Bank team for the support towards the project, adding that component two of the project is related to infrastructural development and to restoration of the country’s beaches from the adverse effect of climate change.
He spoke about the need for people to come up with actionable points that will help the Destination to remain competitive, relevant and progressive.
While commending all stakeholders and the WB team for their efforts, Minister Jobe also spoke highly of the report, which he described, as a ‘good one.’
He also spoke about his Ministry’s readiness to work with other ministries such as Finance, Trade and other key stakeholders to help amass resources for the full implementation of this ambitious project.
