By: Nyima Sillah
The general manager of Senegambia Beach Hotel has called for more support of relief package from President Barrow’s administration to help the industry overcome hurdles of the coronavirus.
Speaking to The Voice exclusively, Bunama Njie, said government should help the industry with second relief package because he doesn’t believe there will be a tourism season this year
“Am looking forward for 2021 and 2022 and certainly this is going to have a big impact on the economy as a whole because the trickling effect of tourism splits everywhere,” he said.
He added: “There will be a lot of revenue loses and high rate of unemployment on youths and this is something that government needs to look into since tourism employs a lot of people, and the trickling effect on other areas of the economy is uncountable.”
According to him, the covid-19 pandemic has taken tool on the tourism industry across the whole world, disrupting travelling.
“Currently there is a situation where there is uncertainty in a sense that we have no idea when we will start business back again,” he said.
He said thousands of people have been laid off their jobs in the industry which eh said is one of the areas which employs a handful of people in the country.
“There is a lot of predictions going on but currently they had been advice by few tour operators that are ready to come to the Gambia maybe mid-January, and when the chata flight resumes in January they will open doors for visitors,” Mr Njie said.
“There are expenses that you need to insure and if you cannot have those expenses it does not make sense for business to operate. Am looking a comeback in winter 2021 not 2020 because evidence has shown the recently situation of this year’s season,” he added.