By Yunus S. Saliu

The Gambia is hosting more than 700 Senegalese students participating in holiday camps, known as Colonie de Vacances.

Hosted in four different hotels, the visiting students are in the country under an initiative aimed at promoting regional tourism, cultural exchange and the longstanding ties between The Gambia and Senegal.

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Abdoulie Jobe, accompanied by senior officials of the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), the Gambia Hotel Association and other tourism stakeholders, visited the students on Saturday at Senegambia Hotel, Kairaba Beach Hotel, Bakadaji Hotel and Kalimba Beach Hotel.

The students, who are in The Gambia with their teachers for their summer holidays, are participating under the theme: “L’amitié, valeur africaine et Olympique, pilier de la Teranga dans les collectivités éducatives” (Friendship — an African and Olympic value, and a pillar of Teranga within educational communities).

The holiday camps provide the students with opportunities to participate in recreational and educational activities, experience Gambian culture and hospitality, and learn more about the country.

During his visits, Minister Jobe interacted with the students and their teachers and highlighted the importance of education, cultural understanding, unity and the strong ties between The Gambia and Senegal.

He reaffirmed the commitment of his ministry and the GTBoard to promoting educational tourism and creating meaningful experiences for young visitors.

Speaking to journalists, Minister Jobe said the initiative was particularly important during the green tourism season, as it helps hotels maintain business activity while strengthening regional tourism.

He said Senegalese companies and public institutions regularly organize holiday programs for children and that their decision to bring the students to The Gambia demonstrated confidence in the country’s tourism offering.

“This is one market that we try to attract so that they can fill our hotels, so that business can continue,” he remarked.

Minister Jobe stressed that the initiative went beyond tourism, noting that The Gambia and Senegal shared deep cultural, historical and family ties.

He said the government would continue efforts to strengthen regional tourism and expand the program beyond schoolchildren to include their parents and other Senegalese visitors seeking holidays, retreats and honeymoon destinations.

The minister also highlighted the GTBoard’s new marketing strategy, under which regional tourism formed an integral part of the country’s tourism promotion efforts.

He identified Senegal as a key regional market, while noting that The Gambia was also targeting visitors from countries including Nigeria and Ghana.

Describing the relationship between The Gambia and Senegal as “indispensable”, Minister Jobe said both countries had a responsibility to preserve and strengthen their longstanding brotherly relations.

For her part, GTBoard Director General Ida Jeng Njie said the current period should be referred to as the “green season” rather than simply the off-season.

She said the arrival of the Senegalese students was contributing not only to the tourism industry but also to the wider Gambian economy.

According to her, although the students are not included in conventional tourist arrival statistics because they are minors and travel to The Gambia by land, their activities generate economic benefits across several sectors.

“They are staying in the hotels, they are visiting sites, they are buying fuel, they are buying food and gift items,” she said.

She explains that the program generates income for hotels, transport operators, traders, small businesses and other service providers.

Njie also said the camps provided an opportunity for cultural exchange, allowing the students to experience Gambian traditions while sharing aspects of their own culture.

She attributed the growing number of Senegalese students choosing The Gambia to the efforts of tourism stakeholders to provide visitors with a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment.

The GTBoard Director General said the initiative was also being used to encourage parents of participating students to visit The Gambia for holidays, retreats and honeymoons.

She cited the participation of organizations including Senegalese social security institutions and members of the judiciary, whose children are among the students visiting the country.

Njie said the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the GTBoard considered it important to visit the students personally to assess their experience and address any challenges they might encounter.

She expressed hope that the number of Senegalese children visiting The Gambia would continue to increase in the coming years.

She also commended the media for its role in promoting the initiative, saying positive coverage of the holiday camps, hotels and tourism attractions could encourage more visitors to choose The Gambia as a holiday destination.

The students, in a vote of thanks, expressed appreciation to Minister Jobe for taking time to visit them and witness their activities.

They said the minister’s presence encouraged them to develop greater confidence, leadership skills and a stronger sense of purpose.

The students also welcomed the minister to their summer camp and expressed hope that his visit would contribute to highlighting the importance of investing in young people and creating opportunities for their development.