‘Tourism contributes 18% to The Gambia’s GDP'

The Gambia Tourism industry has grown to be one of the biggest in Africa. In this interview with Austin Jacobson, the chairman of The Gambia Hotel Association, Mr. Alieu Secka explains how the industry has been the mainstay of The Gambia’s economy. Excerpts:

What potentials exist in The Gambia as regards tourism?

For over the fifty years, The Gambia has being regarded as tourism paradise by mainly Europeans and an emerging potential market from Africa.

The Gambia tourism is well recognized before now but in the last few years we are trying to ensure that what our guests from elsewhere have been enjoying is also brought to the doorstep of our African brothers and sisters particularly Nigerians.

We feel that there is a lot more potential and lot more that we can discover from each other in our tourism attractions, culture, costume, fashion and designs, foods and nature; so really, what has been appreciated by Europeans is what we would like  Africans to enjoy because I think we have a better appreciation of this.

In the last two years tourism in The Gambia has grown astronomically, especially in economic terms and Gambia has benefited immensely from the tourism industry, what is the cause of the upsurge in the tourism industry?

There are many reasons for this. First is that the private sector believes very much in the tourism sector in The Gambia. Also the government through the Gambia Tourism Authorities is very good partners in tourism.

Really, once the government and the policymakers drive the policies that will take tourism onward and you have investors who also have interest to work together, that is the formula for success.

There are also other formulas particularly, as you noted, the Gambia tourism products contribute 18 per cent  to the GDP of the country  and one that can grow even more.

Recently, we talked about rebranding of the Gambia so that people, including Nigerians will recognize The Gambia even more as a tourism paradise. We are happy to say that we are working with a Nigerian company in that direction.

So when we talk about moving the tourism industry from 18 per cent GDP to above 25 per cent in the next few years, we know we can make it. And Nigeria with a population of over 150 million, with much potential and only few three hours away, we want to work actively to see how we can promote the Gambia and the Nigerian market.

Tourism encompasses a lot of superb infrastructure, and currently African market is competing with the European market and other emerging markets, what are the infrastructure on ground in the Gambia that visitors across the world will love to see?

The Gambia over the last 40 years has done a lot on infrastructure tourism. We have a world class product like the Sheraton, the Cocoa Hotel, one of the best hotels in Africa and the Carrabas and addition to the basic and few two stars and three stars products.

So in terms of hotel facilities, we have more than adequate facilities to take care of all classes of clienteles. There are other facilities such as road transport facilities, car hire, grand hand log, coaches and local tour operators.

All these have being put in place to ensure that our travellers, whatever they seek in terms of facilities, will be met. Then again, talking about attractions, such as hotels, there is also peace and security in the country, nice fashions and fabrics for African tourism development.

Tourism is a product that brings success to everybody, it creates employment and it’s the biggest employer in Gambia, it creates selling opportunity to traders, mostly foodstuff sellers, to fuel stations, electricity companies and tax collectors the benefit of tourism is all around.

So if any investor is coming to the Gambia we gladly welcome him because it will improve the economy and be of benefit to everyone including the investor.

Looking at tourism in Africa and especially the Gambia, where do you see the Gambia tourism market and Africa in the next five to ten years?

We have a very active policy and we are working actively through the media to promote the Gambia so that those that have benefited from knowing the Gambia in the last 50 years elsewhere can also share the same experience with Nigerians.

We are actively working, and Akwaaba is one of such forum to realize this objective to network with the stakeholders. Again we have just started a new product called, the “Good Gambia, Go Discover Gambia.” It is unique and refreshing so we hope it will create more awareness about Gambia’s unique experiences and its product in the tourism and leisure businesses.

So all these policies are to ensure that it is not just today but it continues so that everybody continues to hear about the good things that are happening in the Gambia.

Is there any security back-up for investors in the Gambia?

The Gambia government has clearly stated in its policy that it is a strict private sector-led economy and that it strives on it.

Recently it set up the Gambia investment and export promotion agency, which actively promotes a one-step sloop to ensure that investors who want to come to Gambia can receive all the question and answers that they required from that agency, but overall the economy itself and all the other sectors that can support the government infrastructure and support who ever comes into the Gambia, either you have question in economic policies, guaranties an access to whatever you require, it is available.

Talk about assurances for investment, Gambia is a signatory to the multi-lateral international guarantee agreement, so everybody’s investment is secured in the Gambia in this regard.

Today we have several Nigerian banks like Access, PHB, zenith and many more operating in Gambia. That is an evidence that Africa is now investing more inward rather than always going outside and that’s what we need to nature.