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The Gambia, known for its rich heritage and cultural
diversity, is a magnet to tourists seeking to escape the harsh winter weather
and stretch out on tranquil beaches and enjoy the warmth provided by the sun
and friendly people.The beginning of tourism in the Gambia can be traced
as far back as the mid-1960s, shortly after the country gained independence
from Britain.Reliable accounts have it that tourism in The Gambia
started by accident when a Swedish gentleman called Bertil Harding, who was
travelling from Northern Senegal to the Northern part of the neighbouring
country, lost his bearing and drove towards Banjul. Harding, according to accounts, was amazed by the
beautiful coastline and the friendly people, and as a result, decided to stay
for a couple of days, thus marking the discovery of the popular tourist
destination that would later assume the name “the smiling coast of Africa”.Samba Batch Faye, Board Chairman of the Gambia Tourism
Board, and Sheikh Tijan Nyang, Head of the Institute of Travel and Tourism of
the Gambia, both confirmed that was what set off the development of tourism in
the Gambia and led to a steady increase in the number of visitors as “tourism
came to the Gambia” instead of the Gambia “going to find it.”"He was driving to Casamance to go to Cap Skirring
and other places. In our conversation when he was alive, he said he drove
overnight until in the morning, he saw Denton Bridge, then he said, well, I
don't think I am in Casamance; I must be in the Gambia. Instead of turning
around and finding his way to Casamance, he said, "Let me just go in and
find out what Gambia is like," Samba Batch, Chairman of Gambia Tourism
Board, said.By the late 1970s and 1980s, the Gambia had
established itself as a prime tourist destination, and with an increasing
number of hotels and resorts lining the coast and a surge in the number of
tourists, the need for increased investments became apparent, effectively
drawing in Swedish and European investorsInitially, the structures that were used to
accommodate tourists were not custom-built. However, what followed were proper
hotels built by foreign investors in tandem with the Gambia government, which
at the time saw the huge potential that existed when the Gambian tourism
development was in its infancy stage."There was only one hotel & that was the
Atlantic Hotel. He went and checked in at the Atlantic Hotel. In the morning,
he walked around the beach. That time Atlantic Beach was at least 100 meters of
white sand on the beach as opposed to its current state.” “He walked around and found only a few people. By
then, people were not keen on going to the beach. All that they were interested
in was going through the wharves and fishing for crabs. And he said,
"Well, this seems to be a nice place. Let me stay for a few more days,”
the GT-Board chair added.With the rise of tourism, the demand for well-trained
staff to work in hotels and restaurants and serve as tour guides became
necessary. Then, emerged Gambia Hotel School, which was later upgraded and
renamed "Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute".Others, like the Institute of Travel and Tourism in
the Gambia, were born to cater for the ever-increasing need for trained human
resources and seasoned professionals.Sheikh Tijan Nyang, a veteran in the tourism sector,
who saw it and witnessed the evolution, weighs in on the gains made by the
sector"It came in as an accidental industry that had no
policies that would guide it to where it is today. As a result of it, the
government thought it wise and had key people in key positions. People who were
knowledgeable and they thought it is good to look at good examples.”“If I remember talking to the late Tom Senghore, he
and the late Tapha Sosseh were permanent secretaries at various ministries.
They went to Kenya from what I gathered from Tom Senghore. They did a case
study in Kenya as to how it developed to where it is today, and they came and
wrote a report. After that, the Bafuloto studies form the basis of our tourism
development," said Sheikh Tijan Nyang.The Bafuloto studies were designed to understand
traditional Gambian society and to unearth the hidden potential of community
tourism. Now, with stiff competition, Nyang believes the sector needs urgent
reforms and more investments in eco - and community-based tourism to ensure
sustainability. "We have developed, but we also have a series of
challenges that we need to address. Most of the countries in the sub-region do
not operate the same system as we do. We depend entirely on package stores.”“The industry is seasonal, and it starts from October
to April, and that's where it ends. We have been operating in this system since
the inception of tourism, and I think we have seen it gradually
diminishing." Nyang stated.
Tourism is one of the sectors that help the Gambia
maintain a level of buoyancy, but with many destinations seeking to outdo or
attract tourists from the same source markets, there is a need to return to the
drawing board to reposition and repackage Gambian Tourism so it can continue to
attract tourists from across the world.
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