In a drive to promote sub-regional tourism in the African continent and to further strengthen the cordial relationship between Liberia Tourism Authority and The Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA) Royal Air Maroc, the latest airline company that spread it?s wings in The Gambia, over the weekend airlifted a high-profile delegation from a Liberian travel agency, the media and some tourism stakeholders into The Gambia.

The four-day visit of the Liberian delegation was spearheaded by the GTA and executed by the Royal Air Maroc. It is meant to bring together the two countries exchange ideas and share their products in terms of tourism. The visit also aims to widen the scope of tourism in the sub-region and to other parts of Africa. "We want the African countries to unite, work together and build united Africa," said Elizabeth Bammerman, head of the delegation and president of the Liberian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Bermmerman told the Daily Observer tourism anchorman that they commenced their visit to The Gambia because, "We know that The Gambia is a tourist country and it is known as a tourists centre of Africa and I believe it is the best place for a start to share with them," she stated. Ms Bammerman went on: "I think we would be able to achieve our drive to bring and promote regional tourism and this would also portray the real picture of what is happening in Africa." She said this would also impact on the travel and tourism in Africa and widen the scope of regional tourism.

She disclosed that they would begin the initiative with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Liberian Travel Agency (LTA) and GTA and from there, they will start exchanging ideas and bringing tourists to visit their countries.

Expectations
She said the move is another way of trying to tie the cordial relationship between The Gambia and Liberia that would also reap more developments between the two countries, "because as The Gambia being a tourist country and having experts coming into the country will pay a dividend to our tourism industry and  I think this would bring the two countries very closer in terms of relationship".

She described the visit was very interesting and amazing. "We have seen the development taking place and the warm welcome accorded to us was not what we had expected and I think if all African countries are like The Gambia very soon Africa will realise its potential of becoming one nation," said Ms Bammerman. She used the opportunity to commend the GTA, the Hotel Association and the travel agency for their jospitality.  "This is the first official visit we are making to an African country and I think from this we would stretch it to other countries in the region," she stated.

Challenges
Bammerman explained that they had faced some challenges in making the trip successful and would use the experience to improve their next trip. "This is not something that one can do overnight and we had lots of challenges but we are going to make this a reality by taking the experience that we have learnt to Monrovia," she stated.

Adjustment
She further stated that the African region needs to have more flights between the African countries to promote regional tourism and expand the initiative to other African countries. "As I told you, we are members of Ecowas and we cannot limit this to only Gambia; we have to go to other countries in the sub-region and Africa as a whole because what we are trying to do is to build a united Africa and the only way we can do this is to work together," said the head of Liberian delegation.

Aberouch Aissa, area manager for Royal Air Maroc in The Gambia, the whole idea of bringing the Liberians to The Gambia came from the GTA and The Gambia Hotel Association. "I am more fascinated about the tourism development in The Gambia and I wish to commend the Gambian authorities for their warm hospitality. Now I understand why tourists are coming to The Gambia," he enthused. He said their future plans include expansion of the number of flights in Africa and described his experience in Banjul and Monrovia as a good one. He further disclosed that they intend to have more links to other destinations directly from The Gambia.

He added: "I have been here for just eight months, but I am very much fascinated with the developments going on in The Gambia, and The Gambia today is an example to other African countries." Also among the delegation was the Lebanese ambassador to Liberia, Mansour Abdallah, who told this columnist that he was invited by the area manager of Royal Air Maroc in Liberia to join the delegation. "After the visit, I would like to express my candid opinion that, I am very positively surprised by the development of tourism in The Gambia. Other than the development taking place in the country, I would like to express my gratitude to all Gambians for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to us since our arrival by both the officials of GTA and the entire Gambians," ambassador Abdallah stated. He added that Africans should make tourism be to the benefit of every African and that Gambia is an example to follow.

The Lebanese diplomat used the opportunity to thank the GTA and its line ministry for their stance in tourism development in the country. Ousman Kebbeh, public relations officer of GTA used the occasion to thank the government of The Gambia, and on behalf of the minister of Tourism and Culture, the permanent secretary and the director general GTA thanked the ambassador of Lebanon to Liberia for coming with the delegation.

He also extended on behalf of his ministry sincere appreciation to the country representative of Royal Air Maroc in Liberia and in The Gambia for organising the trip. He said the trip would also serve as opportunity to expose the delegation with what the GTA is doing in the tourism sector. The delegation was on Saturday taken on a boat trip from Lamin Lodge in Lamin to Denton Bridge through the river before touring the city with a visit from the Arch 22 to the Gambia Ports Authority through Albert Market in Banjul. They were also hosted to a dinner at the Kairaba Beach Hotel on Saturday night before departing the country on Sunday morning.