Stakeholders in the tourism industry on Monday urged the Gambia Government to invest in tourism, a sector that is among the highest contributors to the country's gross domestic product.
The movers and shakers of the industry made the call at the
The
Mr.
Barrow said the government must involve in the tourism sector, by investing and not only "taking" from the sector.
"Today we have only three tour operators in the country. Twenty years or thirty years ago, we have 15 tour operators," he said.
Jawara, who said he had worked with
"I do that before. I do the tour operating business. I have license in
He said the current government must look into the activities the previous regime did in the tourism sector because it ruined the industry, seizing several hotels when it took over power through coup in 1994.
Mr.
Like
"It is high time that we now look at other avenues, other markets... to create all year round jobs to ensure that people are employed to also ensure that there is enough revenue that government is collecting from the sector," he said.
He proposed the setting up a national airline company which would partner with the government and the private sector to increase the capacity of tourists coming to the
"The financial modeling and how it comes, we have financial experts within us. We have done international financing, I have seen financing all over the world and I think that would support us," said Hydara, who is also the chairman of the committee.
"The sympathy we are earning from our international development partners will fade off if we do not act at this opportune moment," he said.
Minister Bah said the international community will not come on board to support them if they delay the process.
Sheikh
"Now that we have a government that is committed in reviewing the area of air access, we have the local expertise here... who are all committed in seeing the development of the tourism sector and we do hope and pray that whatever recommendations that we make in this exercise would be taken seriously," he said.
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