By Yunus S Saliu
The honorable Minister of Tourism and Culture has disclosed among other plans to give seed money to young Gambians to create travelling companies.
In an interview with this medium, Minister Hamat NK Bah revealed that the Ministry of Tourism and Culture is reforming the Gambia Tourism Board as well mulling on giving seed money to young Gambians to be self-employment.
“One of the things we are doing is the reform of GTBoard and also (thinking of) the need to sponsor and give seed money to young Gambians to create travelling companies,” Minister Bah disclosed.
Breaking it down, he said the travelling companies will enable youth and other Gambians get involve in organizing tours, excursions, visit upcountry, visiting sites and other places of attractions in the country. “Purposefully it is for job creation and promoting domestic tourism in the country as you have in other countries,” he assured.
He went on that the industry need such services but the obstacle remains that “people doesn’t have the money though they might have the idea, but the capital is not there,” he noted.
As a government, he said his Ministry in conjunction with the Gambia Tourism Board is thinking of how qualified and interested young Gambians can be supported to form such companies “to enable them partake fully in developing the sector.”
According to him, it is one of the top priorities of the government at moment as it will help to promote the sector.
However, in spite of the increase number of coronavirus cases registered in the country, stakeholders including beneficiaries in the industry are calling on government to resume the tourism sector which has been shut down since 23rd March, 2020 following the Gambian government announcement of the closure of all its borders and also airspace from all flights except for medical cargo flights to curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the country.
