Sidi,
Your speech was read and we  felt your absence. Your speech torched on all aspects of the sector which needs
to be addressed. Will keep you posted on the final outcome of the workshop.
Regards,
Chi Jamma,
Bro Tejan.

Sidi M Sanneh wrote:

> The statement below is my contribution to the Tourism Workshop currently
> taking place at the Senegambia Beach Hotel in Banjul.  I have requested the
> organisers to insert it in the official transcript of the proceedings.  The
> statement draws extensively on recent Bank Missions to Banjul. I hope it
> will be of interest to some.
>
> __________________________________
>
> STATEMENT BY MR. SIDI SANNEH
> AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK AT THE STAKEHOLDERS WORKSHOP ON THE WAY FORWARD –
> TOURISM IN THE GAMBIA
> 1ST AND 2ND NOVEMBER 2000
>
> Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
>
> Let me begin by saying that it is indeed an honor and privilege to be
> invited to be present with you at this workshop. Unfortunately and due to
> the recent political crisis in Cote d’Ivoire, I have not been able to travel
> to this seminar. Nevertheless, I wish to thank you on behalf of the
> management of the African Development Bank for the kind invitation that was
> extended to the bank and also to the Private Sector Department.
>
> Distinguished Ladies & Gentlemen
>
> Tourism to The Gambia dates back 35 years to 1964/65 when the country was
> identified by Swedish and Danish packaged tour operators catering to a
> down-market clientele in search of a more "exotic", and prestigious
> alternative to the Balearic Islands and the Spanish Sun Coast; the product
> being essentially 3-S (Sun, Sand and Sea) as also offered in Spain.
> Initially, tourism was confined to two hotels in the Gambian capital Banjul
> during the winter season from November to April. The earlier tour operators
> were established as the main Scandinavian "happy-go-lucky" tour companies
> whose main activities were relaxation, beach parties and a high degree of
> alcohol consumption. The bulk of package fees were paid in Europe, while
> Gambian hotels catering to Western visitors were owned or controlled by
> European investors. From 1970/71 to 1990 growth in visitor arrivals was
> significant, hotel bed capacity expanding from 2,600 in 1970 to 6,000 in
> 1993; and finally, 6,926 for 2000. Air charter visitor numbers grew from
> 1,207 in 1969/70 to 58,026 in 1990/91 and 89,997 in 1993/94.
>
> A Tourism Office and Tourism Liaison Board was established in 1970, which
> also saw the inception of a Tourism Development Area (The TDA) encompassing
> the peri-urban areas of Bakau, Fajara, Kololi and Kotu adjacent to the major
> Gambian township Serekunda linked by a causeway to Banjul. However, tourism
> developments were on ad-hoc basis with only minimal attempt of zoning and
> regulation. A Ministry of Tourism was established in 1974 to supervise the
> sector.
>
> Scandinavian tourism dominance ceased in 1985, with Britain becoming the
> major source market, with a significant 54% drop in Scandinavian visitor
> arrivals from 1975 to 1985. Germans entered the market in significant
> numbers along with visitors from the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg,
> France, Switzerland and Austria. However British market domination of the
> tourism industry was almost complete by 1994 when it comprised 60% of the
> market.  The 1997/98 season saw the arrival of 90,810 charter visitors,
> while 1998/99 was the record year for tourist arrivals with a total of
> 120,000 charter visitors with an average stay of 13 days, i.e. just over 1.5
> million bed-nights.
>
> The Present Tourism Situation in The Gambia
>
> Although the tourism industry is vital to the Gambian economy contributing
> between 12% to 18% to the country’s GDP, it being hampered by a tour
> operator monopoly and extensive leakage. Gambian direct and indirect
> employment within the tourism sector is estimated at approximately 10,000,
> providing basic sustenance for what may be close to a tenth of the Gambian
> population. Accordingly, even a minor crisis in the tourism industry would
> have severe implications for the well being of the Gambian population in
> general.
>
> After 35 years as a tourist destination for predominantly West European
> visitors, The Gambia is still almost exclusively a down-mid market, 3-S's,
> packaged tour destination, with almost no mid-up market "3rd generation"
> free individual travellers, dominating other sectors of the international
> market. The male/female visitor ratio is 55/45. Only very limited product
> development has taken place, while spatial development and zoning has been
> erratic, coinciding with the deterioration of beaches in the TDA. A very
> high proportion of tourists to The Gambia are repeat visitors. In 1998, the
> total number of visitor arrivals on charter flights was 91,106 composed of
> 42% British, 26% German/Austrian, 16% Dutch/Belgian and 10% Scandinavian.
>
> European packaged tour operators are presently consolidating as cartels
> through a maze of take-overs, giving small countries with underdeveloped,
> and under-funded, tourism organisational structures only very limited
> bargaining power, while competitive new 3-S destinations, offering nature
> and culture as a holiday add-on are proliferating on the world market. The
> total dependency on packaged tour operators imposes a major economic
> disadvantage on local service suppliers vis-à-vis international tour
> operators/foreign investors. Further, taxes and fees from the tourism sector
> in The Gambia are paid directly to the Central Treasury and local
> authorities, only minimal amounts being allocated for the strengthening of
> the tourism industry.
>
> FUTURE TOURISM POTENTIAL
>
> The Gambia tourism industry is presently hampered by its limited
> international profile as a down-market, packaged 3-S destination. However
> The Gambia provides excellent scope for development and market penetration,
> if a more activity oriented product mix is developed, paired with a
> marketing profile bringing The River Gambia, nature, cruising, canoeing,
> nature and culture up-front. The primary attraction of The Gambia should be
> the River, including huge stretches of Mangrove forest as well as salt and
> fresh water swamp areas. The River is easily navigable and mainly safe. Bird
> watching, dolphin watching, sport fishing and mangrove “exploration” could
> be main activities, along with cruising visits to river villages, sites and
> towns. The Gambia mangrove areas are the closest environments to the
> European markets.
>
> With its high degree of ethnic diversity The Gambia offers a wide range of
> visitor experiences within its limited land and river area. These
> attractions include performing arts (dance and music) which are highly
> developed, while Gambian cuisine is diverse and attractive.  Art-handicraft
> production is mainly aimed at the present visitor down-market, and therefore
> has limited variation and show of skills. The majority of objects sold on
> tourist markets can be classified as examples of "airport art". However,
> objects displayed at The Gambia National Museum indicate that there is good
> scope for an upgrading of quality, given a more discerning visitor market.
> The Gambia has a range of historical buildings; monuments; and
> archaeological sites well described in historic sites of the Gambia
> published by the National Council for Arts and Culture in 1998. Most sites
> monuments and buildings are in need of protection and conservation.
>
> Given that present tourism to The Gambia is almost exclusively in the hands
> of
> International packaged-tour operator cartels, it is understandable that
> Gambian marketing of the Gambia product is only very limited, and that
> marketing outlets are few. However, developments of The Gambia product
> requires adequate profiling of the country as a nature-, culture- and
> cruise-destination, which would need a concentrated international marketing
> effort by the Gambia.
>
> Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
>
> Given the huge potential for growth in the Tourism sector, the African
> Development Bank in close co-operation with the Department of State for
> Tourism and Culture, is financing a sectoral study, whose major objectives
> are to undertake a thorough review of the tourism industry in The Gambia
> with a view to formulating suitable policies and strategies for the
> development of the sector within short, medium- and long-term periods for
> the planning period of up to 2022.
>
> The outcome of the proposed study will be a comprehensive and detailed
> Development Master Plan covering the entire tourism sector of The Gambia, by
> focusing on product development; market development; environmental
> protection, sector reform, the establishment of a tourism data base, zoning
> of tourism developments; maximisation of economic benefits of the sector
> through increased utilisation of local resources. The Master Plan prepared
> by the Consultants will guide the government to formulate and adopt
> appropriate policies and procedures; institute the necessary reforms and
> legislation for the sustained development of the sector.
>
> Further to the Master Plan, the study will outline a number of tourism- or
> tourism related projects that could be developed during the planning period.
> Special emphasis will be given to the preparation of the project briefs that
> could possibly be undertaken, primarily by the private sector, during the
> first five years of the planning period.
>
> Distinguished Ladies & Gentlemen
>
> One of the main areas of benefit to the study will be the assistance to the
> Government in bringing about complete institutional reform in the sector
> which will be aimed at attracting private investment into the country and
> ensuring the smooth functioning of the tourism industry. The role of the
> government in the direct promotional activities of the tourism industry will
> be effectively reduced, confining its functions to the regulation of the
> sector from the top. The study will look into the possibility of setting up
> institution in the form of a National Tourism Organisation (NOT),
> incorporating Government, the private sector and other stakeholders such as
> the NGOs, which will be in charge of the promotional aspect of the sector.
>
> Furthermore the study will assist in the enhancement of the institutional
> capacity of the executing agency through the training of counterpart staff
> who will understudy the consultants during the execution of the study. The
> staff trained will be responsible for planning for the sector in future and
> also in following up the recommendations of the study after the departure of
> the consultants, thus contributing to the sustainability of the study.
>
> Based upon the preceding paragraphs, it can be concluded that tourism to The
> Gambia has in recent years become a high-risk industry due to among other
> reasons, a lack of product development, product deterioration, lack of
> planning, institutional weaknesses and outdated legislation. These problems
> need to be solved immediately in order to avoid further deterioration of the
> situation, which would result in economic decline and serious social
> consequences for the country. The Gambia has excellent potential for
> developing and expanding its tourism industry.
>
> Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the African Development
> Bank, I thank you for time afforded and your attention.
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
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