By Yunus S Saliu
The Gambia has intensified efforts to strengthen tourism cooperation with neighbouring Senegal through a series of high-level meetings.
The meetings were aimed at promoting regional travel, enhancing cross-border tourism and positioning the country as a destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).
A Gambian delegation comprising officials of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Gambia Tourism Board held strategic engagements in Dakar with key tourism stakeholders as part of an ongoing tourism promotion mission.
The delegation first met officials of Senegal’s state infrastructure management company, SOGIP, to discuss opportunities for jointly hosting major regional events, including wrestling competitions, football matches, music festivals and fashion shows.
The discussions also focused on strengthening collaboration in event management, destination marketing and tourism promotion.
During the meeting, the Gambian delegation highlighted the achievement of Djeliba Leisure Group, which recently secured second place in a competitive bid to host an event in Senegal, describing it as an indication of growing confidence in The Gambia’s capacity to host major international events.
The delegation later met representatives of the Senegalese Tourist Guides Association to discuss measures aimed at improving cross-border tourism.
The discussions covered border procedures, ferry services, security checkpoints and the requirement for yellow fever vaccination certificates for travellers visiting Fathala Park in Senegal.
The Gambian officials briefed their counterparts on ongoing improvements to ferry services, noting that efforts are underway to improve speed and service delivery to facilitate easier movement of tourists and residents.
Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation through familiarisation visits, information sharing and joint marketing initiatives to promote The Gambia and Senegal as a single tourism destination offering complementary cultural, wildlife and leisure experiences.
The engagements form part of ongoing efforts by the two countries to deepen regional tourism integration, improve visitor mobility and create new opportunities for tourism growth and investment in the sub-region.