By Yunus S Saliu
Tourist arrivals in The Gambia have seen a significant increase since the start of the 2024/2025 winter tourism season, outpacing figures from the same period last year. This surge was highlighted on Monday morning as officials from the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) gathered at the Gambia Sea Port to welcome the arrival of the latest cruise ship, Riviera, from Spain. The growing number of cruise ships visiting the country is a direct result of the concerted efforts of industry stakeholders, particularly the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC).
As recorded, from November 17 to 25 a series of cruise ships berthed at the shore of the Gambia which included Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Splendor, Azaamar Quest, and Riviera and it is making cruise tourism popular in The Gambia compared to the past.
Ebrima AK Sanyang, Senior Officer of Research and Development at the GTBoard underscored the importance of tourism to the country saying it plays an important role in any country’s economy.
There are different types of tourism, he said, and there are different ways they come into a destination, this includes “by land, air and sea, a category which cruise ships come through. So this is another mode of transportation for tourists to access destinations.”
Since the start of this year’s winter tourism season, he affirmed, “From 17 November to today, we have recorded different cruise ships accessing the destination, this is Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Splendor, Azaamar Quest, and today we are excited to welcome the MS Riviera, a luxurious cruise ship from Oceania Cruises which docked in Banjul, Gambia with 1,116 passengers.”
He noted that the cruise ship, MS Riviera was part of an incredible 27-day itinerary that showcases the beauty of West Africa, and “it does not only highlight Banjul as a must-visit cruise tourism destination, but also provides a chance for our local businesses to connect with travelers from around the world.”
However, he noted that the four mentioned cruise ships have brought over 3000 passengers to the destination Gambia within the aforementioned dates 17th to 25th November.
Meanwhile, Barbara Patterson, like other tourists aboard the Riviera cruise ship expressed joy in visiting destination Gambia despite the short period they have to spend before continuing their journey to the next destination.