By Yunus S. Saliu
The governing body of the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), led by Chairman Momodou Bamba Saho, on Monday continued its nationwide familiarisation tour with visits to the Central River Region (CRR) and Upper River Region (URR).
The delegation, which included GTBoard Permanent Secretary Amie Njie, Director General Ida Jeng Njie and a technical team, is undertaking the tour to assess tourism facilities, identify challenges and explore development opportunities across the country.
As part of the second day of the exercise, the team visited ecolodges and project sites in Janjanbureh and Sotuma Samba Koi, with the aim of strengthening oversight and improving tourism infrastructure to support sustainable sector growth.
In Janjanbureh, the delegation conducted a boat excursion to assess the natural environment and tourism potential around Kunkiling Forest Park. They also inspected the stalled Kunkiling Ecolodge project, where discussions focused on factors affecting its completion and possible options for revival.
The team later proceeded to Kosemar Tenda to inspect the EbA Project Ecolodge, assessing its operational status and condition as part of ongoing eco-tourism initiatives promoting community-based tourism.
The final stop was Sotuma Samba Koi in the Upper River Region, where the delegation inspected a completed ecolodge facility and reviewed its development status and potential to attract visitors to the area.
During the tour, local tour guides in Janjanbureh engaged the Director General on key challenges and opportunities within the tourism sector.
The delegation identified challenges including environmental management, site visibility and the need for increased investment, noting that addressing these gaps is essential to strengthening rural and domestic tourism and expanding The Gambia’s tourism offerings.
GTBoard said the tour reflects its commitment under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to improve destination management and promote sustainable tourism development across all regions of the country.
