Scores of experts in The Gambia tourism industry has welcomed the establishment of The Gambia Air Access Committee as recently inaugurated by the Minister of Tourism and Culture.
The committee members are vested with the responsibility of opening up the country’s airspace to the world as well as strategize plans that will increase the volume of visitors into The Gambia.
According to them, the collapsed of Thomas Cook Group, one of the main tour operators company in the country has further expose the vulnerability of The Gambia tourism industry and spells out the need for a national carrier. They argued that unexpected ceasing of the activities of Thomas Cook Group UK has no doubt affected the country’s prospect of a booming 2019/20 tourism season.
However, they said the collapsed of Thomas Cook UK is a blessing in disguise and will go a long way in creating the necessary avenues that will allow the government to lessen its over-dependence on foreign tour operators by partnering with the private investors in securing a national airline for the country.
“Tourism is the backbone of the country’s economy and we cannot afford as a country to be a dependant on package tour operators. We have been too dependent on package tours and it is now time that we use local brains to develop our tourism sector”, said Shiekh Tijan Nyang, Head of Institute for Travel and Tourism of The Gambia (ITTOG)
Nyang also a board member of the Association of Small Scale Enterprises and Responsible Tourism (ASSERT) said the need for Gambia to constitute an air access committee has been specifically mentioned in the country’s tourism master-plan but has never been done for many years.
“This is something that is long overdue and thanks to the collapse of Thomas Cook Group, if not, we wouldn’t have this committee of air access. This could have been done some couple of years ago, however it is a commendable gesture from the government because air accessibility is crucial for the development of the tourism sector,” Bunama Njie, Chairman Gambia Hotel Association (GHA) affirmed.
He argued that it is suicidal for the country to continue depending on tour operators and it is high time for the country to explore other avenues and markets to help create all year round tourism in the country.
In as much as the government is willing to constitute air access committee, he said, it must also invest in the sector to enable the country reap the benefits of tourism.
GHA Chairman described the formation of the air access committee as very timely, observing that this is the surest ways of addressing the over-dependence on tour operator in destination Gambia.
Shahim Tamin, one time Chief Executive Officer of Senegambia Airline said the latest move by Gambia Government will go a long way in addressing the impact of Thomas Cook Group on Gambia tourism industry. He quickly disclosed that the collapsed of Thomas Cook Group UK will make the country lose seven to eight flights per week.
He shared similar sentiment with other speakers that the formation of the air access committee will create the enabling environment for private investors to partner with government in the running and management of a national airline.
He went on that a national airline will not only make the country accessible for international travelers but will also accord Gambians low travel fares.
Shahim Tamin who work in the airline business for many years said with two or three flights that can ferry passengers to and fro Europe and other African countries, Gambia tourism industry will no longer depend on foreign tour operators to increase the volume of visitors to the country.
