By Yunus S Saliu
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), in collaboration with development and sector partners, on Tuesday held a National Dialogue on Cross-Border Tourism Facilitation and Competitiveness at the Ocean Bay Hotel in Cape Point, Bakau.
The daylong forum brought together officials from government institutions, private sector representatives, development partners and security agencies to develop a unified national position on cross-border tourism, with support from the European Union under the EU Youth Empowerment Project for Tourism and Creative Industries.
According to organisers, the outcomes of the dialogue are expected to inform The Gambia’s position in upcoming bilateral and regional engagements on tourism development and regional mobility.
Discussions focused on key thematic areas, including visa and entry facilitation, border management and security procedures, as well as commercial and tourism operations.
Opening the forum, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Abdoulie Jobe, described the initiative as timely and strategic, as The Gambia seeks to strengthen its competitiveness as a sustainable and accessible tourism destination in the sub-region and beyond.
He said tourism remains a key pillar of the national economy, contributing significantly to employment creation, foreign exchange earnings and inclusive growth.
However, he stressed that the sector’s full potential depends on an efficient cross-border system that ensures smooth movement of tourists, goods and services.
“In today’s interconnected world, competitiveness is not only defined by the attractiveness of a destination, but also by the ease with which visitors can access and experience it,” Jobe said.
He urged participants to identify bottlenecks in the system and propose practical, evidence-based solutions, while calling for stronger inter-agency coordination, digital innovation, improved infrastructure and traveller-friendly security measures.
The minister further indicated that one of the key expected outcomes of the dialogue is a National Resolution Charter to guide cross-border tourism cooperation, improve service delivery and enhance national competitiveness.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to translating the dialogue’s recommendations into actionable reforms aimed at strengthening tourism and regional integration.
For her part, Lumana Kamashi, representative of the European Union Delegation in The Gambia, said the EU, in partnership with ECOWAS, continues to support regional initiatives aimed at improving tourism standards, building capacity and enhancing cooperation among member states.
She noted that such efforts are essential for the development of integrated tourism circuits and improved competitiveness across West Africa.
Kamashi also highlighted The Gambia’s participation in the Interreg MAC Programme (2021–2027), which promotes cooperation between West Africa and European outermost regions, including Madeira, Azores and the Canary Islands.
She said the programme supports networking, innovation, sustainable development and internationalisation as key drivers of cross-border tourism development.
She further referenced the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which seeks to strengthen investments in transport, energy and digital infrastructure to improve mobility and tourism flows between Africa and Europe.
Kamashi described the dialogue as important, as it brought together public institutions, private sector actors and technical experts to identify practical solutions to challenges facing the tourism sector, urging participants to produce actionable recommendations.
The dialogue is part of ongoing efforts to position The Gambia as a competitive tourism destination while promoting regional cooperation and economic growth through tourism.
