By Kebba Ansu
Members of Tourism Federation of The Gambia has endorsed Senegal’s bid to be the Chairman of West Africa Tourism Confederation at a meeting held in a hotel in Banjul recently.
The announcement was made at the presence of a highpowered Senegalese Tourism Federation, where the official of the two countries agreed to go with one voice at the next regional tourism confab expected to be hosted in Guinea Bissau from 6-10th July, 2021.
Speaking at the meeting Adama Bah, member of Tourism Federation of The Gambia revealed that The Gambia has long been without a tourism federation and the need to have one becomes necessary, adding that even though a new one has been created but is yet to become a member of the West Africa Tourism Confederation.
He disclosed that the two countries have held meetings in Dakar to formalise the partnership agreement for Senegal’s bid to head the regional tourism confederation, noting that the meeting in Banjul is a follow-up meeting meant to reach a definitive agreement towards the direction of supporting Senegal’s bid to head the regional confederation.
Bah, a doyen of tourism observed that the coming together of the West African countries to form a tourism confederation will go a long way in boasting tourism in the sub-region. He added that the confederation will avail the opportunity to minimize the impact of Covid-19 through the means of promoting regional tourism.
“The purpose of this meeting is to come together and discuss the way forward to this partnership. It will also help us to discuss key issues affecting our industry so that we can go with one voice to Guinea Bissau where the next confederation meeting is expected to be held from the 6-10th July, 2021,” said Member Tourism Federation of The Gambia.
Shiekh Tijan Nyang, Secretary General of the Federation said the purpose of the meeting with Senegalese delegation is to avail the opportunity to various stakeholders of the Tourism Federation to add up their voices to the discussions held in Dakar. He added that the partnership with Senegal will create more opportunities for the tourism industry of the two countries through the confederation.
Mr Nyang, a member of three Ecowas tourism committees said the coming together of the various tourism federations in the sub-region will avail countries the opportunity to address bottlenecks and make funding available to member states, but if ECOWAS countries continue to work in isolations it will be difficult to develop tourism in the region.
Racin Sy, President of the Tourism Federation of Senegal emphasised the need for partnership and cooperation between Senegal and The Gambia. He said the coming together of the two countries will be based on mutual respect, trust and a win-win situation for all but not in the contrary.
He said Gambia’s support for Senegal to the Chairmanship of the West African Tourism Federation is crucial, as it will avail the opportunity to pushed in agendas that will boast the overall development of tourism for the two countries.
Mr Sey said Senegal Tourism Federation is fully ready to offer all the supports to Tourism Federation of The Gambia, because the two Federations can help address the high cost of air travel between Dakar and Banjul, boast tourism between the two countries through establishment of partnership with sister companies in Senegal.
He urged all and sundry to put their hands on deck in promoting the development of tourism within the sub-region.
