By Yunus S Saliu
In their quest to promote respect for indigenous culture, minimize the negative environmental impacts and restructuring businesses among other things, the Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia (ITToG) in collaboration with Leeds Bucket University and West African Tours Tuesday converged at the Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute to deliberate on responsible tourism.
The main focus of the forum was on river cruising especially cruise ship visit to destination Gambia.
The one-day workshop was attended by some tourism stakeholders that were elated to know more about cruise ship which not often visit the country. Among the participants come from Gambia Tourism Board, tour operators, tour guides, craft vendors, members of parliamentary committee on tourism were also present among lots.
Dr Adama Bah, Chairman ITToG deliberated on the importance and economic opportunity of having cruise ship in the country.
He said the opportunity cruise ship can bring will benefit the country but depend on how the tourists are link to the local economy to enable them spend to the local economy thus “when they are here they buy, eat, drink and what they buy should be local but if all they are buying are coming from abroad then opportunity and profit are not maximize.”
To develop upcountry tourism, Dr Bah said there is need to develop the infrastructure to attract investors.
“Government needs to develop necessary infrastructure such as, though not limited to the following, power, water jetties (for up rivers tourism), good road network, and once you have these investors will start coming because they will see the opportunities.” Dr Bah stated.
Jeoffrie Devioto elaborated on the potential of cruise tourism as sector of tourism that is still untapped in The Gambia. He disclosed that Destination Gambia has the ability to culturally expose and explain herself to a large population as cruise ship always bring a lot of people in a short time at a time.
He noted that within the short time at a time, tourists onboard will like to see different things especially different aspect of the culture as this can create many ambassadors for the country. He added that “majority of the cruiser passengers coming to The Gambia are well travelled, too they have been in many countries all over the world.”
“Therefore,” he went further “within short time they would like to get to know what life is like in the country before and now, how themselves are similar to the visiting country, know about the economy, education and as well they will be care to know about the historical past that makes Gambia unique around the coastal in Africa.”
Above all, Devioto made it clear that the future of cruise tourism in The Gambia involves diversification of products which requires Gambia Tourism Board, ground tour operators, to work together and create new experiences.
Angela Andrew, Director West African Tour, Lamin Bojang of GTBoard, members of parliamentary committee on tourism among others made significant remarks at forum while Tejan Nyang Tourism Special Adviser to The Parliamentary Committee on Tourism thanked the organizer and participants.
