Hello and welcome to another edition of Tourisphere. In this week’s edition, we are looking at the important roles tourism play in the economy of The Gambia like any other tourism destination.

Tourism is one of the most vibrant sectors of The Gambia's economy. It’s an understatement to say it is crucial to the economic evolution of the country. It has contributed significantly to the socio-economic development of the country and its impacts are multifaceted and touch on many lives in the country. The presence of large numbers of tourists in the country is a testimony to this.

Amazingly, the industry is growing both in nature and in structure as the country continues to attract more tourists with each passing year. This consistency could be due to the beauty of the country, both naturally and artificially. The peaceful co-existence and the exemplary political commitment attached to the sector is also a contributing factor. The statistics show that about 90,000 tourists visit the country annually. This represents one of the biggest inflows of visitors in the sub-region- mainly from Europe.

The industry has also generated employment for many Gambians, especially the youth. About 11,000 people are employed directly by the sector and another 15,000 indirectly. The estimated total of jobs it created in the country is about 26,000. The sector continues to be the highest foreign exchange earner for the country and also constitutes 12% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Owing to its dynamics and the attractions the country offers, more hotels and other tourism infrastructure have been built. The establishment of Sheraton, a 5 star hotel in Brufut, Coco Ocean Hotel in Bijilo, the Kairaba Beach Hotel among others of recent are examples.

The recent arrivals of tourists from the Scandinavian countries are indeed promising and raise bright prospects Gambia’s tourist sector, despite the world financial crisis. Gambians love visitors and are one of the most welcoming and friendly worldwide, renowned for their hospitality. Tourists can therefore, be assured of their most memorable holidays ever on the shores of the country. To our guests, we say welcome to the Smiling Coast of Africa.