By Yunus S Saliu
The Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), in collaboration with tourism stakeholders, will tomorrow, Saturday, conduct a general cleaning exercise across the Tourism Development Area (TDA) in the Greater Banjul Area, Banjul City and West Coast Region ahead of the 2026/2027 winter tourism season.
The exercise is aimed at improving the cleanliness and hygiene of the environment in which tourism businesses, artisans and other operators conduct their activities, while ensuring that the country’s major tourism areas are prepared to welcome visitors.
Preparations for the exercise began on Tuesday, and continued on Wednesday when GTBoard Director General Ida Jeng-Njie led senior officials of the Board on a meet-and-greet engagement with tourism stakeholders in various locations from Banjul to Brikama.
The delegation engaged craft market operators, juice vendors, birdwatchers and tourist drivers as part of efforts to sensitise them about the cleaning exercise and encourage their active participation.
The areas visited included Banjul, Cape Point, Fajara, Bakau, BB, Senegambia, Kotu and Brikama craft markets. Juice vendors from different locations were also brought together at Bendula Craft Market for a similar engagement.
Addressing the various groups, Ms Jeng-Njie stressed the importance of stakeholder participation in maintaining a clean and attractive tourism environment as the new winter season approaches.
“You’re the stakeholders. We need you because we are working for you,” she told craft market operators.
She said the GTBoard would continue working with stakeholders to identify suitable locations and improve the conditions under which they operate.
“We will find a place for you, but for the short time, we will do the signage, space and location for you,” she said.
According to the GTBoard Director General, the long-term objective is to create a more organised, attractive and conducive environment for craft market operators and tourists.
“We need to work with you and build a market that is very conducive and appetising,” she added.
The engagements also provided an opportunity for the Board to hear directly from tourism operators about some of the challenges they face in carrying out their businesses.
DG Jeng-Njie said the Board’s engagement with stakeholders would continue as part of efforts to better understand their concerns and identify practical solutions that could improve the tourism experience.
She also acknowledged the support of Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Abdoulie Jobe, saying he would engage the Minister of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, Hamat N.K. Bah, on the possibility of securing suitable land for craft market operators.
The proposed engagement with the Lands Ministry, she explained, would seek to facilitate the allocation of appropriate land where a more organised craft market could be developed for operators.
The GTBoard’s latest engagement forms part of its wider consultations with tourism stakeholders across the country as preparations intensify for the 2026/2027 tourism season.
The Board recently toured communities in the regions, engaging stakeholders and tourism operators as part of its ongoing outreach programme.
The pre-season cleaning exercise is expected to bring together tourism stakeholders and operators in a collective effort to improve sanitation and the general appearance of the TDA.
The GTBoard has continued to emphasise the importance of collaboration with stakeholders, particularly those whose daily activities directly shape the experience of visitors to The Gambia.
However, some token amounts were given to each of the group/market to support them