By Yunus S Saliu
As part of their efforts to promote responsible tourism product in The Gambia, the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) in partnership with the Gambia Tourism Board Wednesday kicked-start a five-day training program on the NinkiNanka Trail (NNT) as a responsible tourism product.
The above named training – NNT as a responsible tourism product and branding consult currently ongoing at the Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTH) is meant to improve market access and build skills and capacity of tour companies, guides and communities along the trail. Also, the training is meant to launch the tourism SMEs ICT support.
The training packaged as fully powered by the Youth Empowerment Program covered different areas which include collaborative product development approach for the NNT – branding, marketing and developing tour packages for the NNT; introduction to responsible tour operator practices, code of conduct and standards/certification, tour operator manager training on sustainable tour management and operations, introduction to NNT responsible guide training and Introduction to digital marketing and branding.
The four-day training package also include a FAM training trip to places along the NinkiNanka Trail such as Ndemban, Tabanani, Janjanbureh, Jamali and as well riverboat to Kuntaur for practical exercises among other places and this will enhance an interactive participatory learning approach among participants and other stakeholders.
In her opening remarks, Ngonneh Panneh National Tourism Consultant gave an in-depth background of the project saying YEP in collaboration with GTBoard is developing the NinkiNaka Trail as a community base responsible tourism product.
She said the product aimed to links up selected touristic villages and natural heritage sites along the river Gambia not only to create new diversify product but as a vehicle for poverty reduction empowerment of host communities that will provide new business opportunities for tour operators, guides and communities.
As part of YEP’s assessment for skills and capacity gaps for tourism SMEs, she said YEP identified a need for structured support in SMEs capacity to connect in terms of marketing, visibility and branding.
As a result, she stressed, a cross sectoral collaboration between YEP ICT and YEP tourism is ready to launch a match making program between social media freelancers under ITAG and 15 SMEs in the tourism and creative industry.
Madam Panneh went further that the training will reinforce development of knowledge and skills of participants in responsible tourism, responsible tourism, guiding an interpretation responsible tour practice requires for the NinkiNanka Trail.
She disclosed that for destination Gambia to increase its competitiveness and capacity to attract new market, a high stakeholder consultation is ongoing with an international branding expert working in collaboration with professional local expert to support the development of the brand image of the NNT.
Daouda Niang, Directorl General of Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI), Hassoum Ceesay Director General of National Center for Arts and Culture, Lamin Fatty Representing Director General of Gambia Tourism Board, Vice president of ITC Association all made remarks on the importance of the responsible tourism product and as well expressed their institutions full support for the product promotion of NinkiNanka Trail (NNT) as a responsible tourism product.
