By Yunus S Saliu
The Project Implementation Unit of the Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project (TDRGP) under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Tuesday held a daylong investment, branding and marketing stakeholder engagement workshop for the development of The Gambia Tourism Marketing Strategy.
The interactive engagement workshop was held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, Kololi, and brought together different stakeholders across the industry.
In a short remark, Foday Bah, Officer-In-Charge of Marketing Gambia Tourism Board, expressed great pleasure over the engagement, noting that the document is a very important one for the stakeholders, “a major reason that the consultants are here today to hear everyone’s view and recommendations on this branding and marketing strategy.”
More so, the training part, he disclosed will also give a great opportunity for participants to share their views, and recommendations for the consultants to provide good work, as this will be highly appreciated.
Agnes John Tomasi, the Stakeholder Engagement Specialist for the project representing RCM the local partner, welcomed participants to the important forum to be part of the strategic process that is important in tourism development in the country.
She pointed out that tourism is one of the drivers of Gambia’s economy “and it deserves all the importance that should be given to it, and for that, we are all committed.”
RCM, she said, is pleased, excited, and ready to work with the journey and the Ministry to ensure that it contributes to this process as a consultant, while adding that there is lots of potential in tourism.
Declaring the forum open on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of MOTAC was Brian T Mullis, Tourism Specialist for Marketing, Branding, and Investments, he recognized other partners and the present stakeholders at the workshop and thanked them for joining them for this necessary engagement.
“The team of specialists is here to undertake a situational analysis to inform the development not only a marketing and branding strategy but the identification and promotion of prioritized tourism investment opportunities such as Denton Bridge and other key locations that need to be optimized for tourism developments,” he emphasized.
He stated that all this work is designed to help to diversify The Gambia’s tourism products, the markets that are demanding the types of products that the country can offer are in “the destination here, the Gambia.”
He went on to say that beyond sun, sand, and sea, in the areas of nature, adventure, culture, and so on, “ultimately, this will increase the resilience of the hospitality and tourism sectors, drive job creation, and create other co-benefits, including Environmental Conservation.”
However, this investment, branding, and marketing stakeholder engagement workshop for the development of The Gambia Tourism Marketing Strategy will guide the marketing of tourism from 2025. It will include a 5-year Action Plan with corresponding activities, targets, and budgets, that will align with future Gambia Tourism Board budgets and capacities.
More so, it will aim to create new awareness and interest in the destination among potential visitors, both domestic and international, and as well seek to differentiate the destination from its competitors and communicate its unique value proposition and what sets it apart from other destinations, and will be developed based on market research, stakeholder consultation, and identification of best practices that are up to date, modern and innovative in destination marketing.